Salilah's Story
by avatarspiriaangkorra
Summary: The Humanbender is the assigned bender from our world to help the Avatar keep balance in the Avatar World. Salilah is the 15 year-old Humanbender. She fights alongside Avatar Aang, Katara, and Sokka to help stop Fire Lord Ozai before Sozin's Comet. Along the way she meets new friends and obstacles as well as learning the meaning of loss, love, and friendship. T for language/action.
1. The Bittersweet Introduction of Myself

_**Salilah's Story**_

Part 1: Water

The Avatar Universe is hidden to those of you normal people who are reading this twisted tale of fate and destiny. You're probably wondering why I said normal just now. If you read the summary before clicking on this thing, you'll remember that I may be human, but I'm not normal.

One kid born every 100 years in the normal world has the ability to bend all four elements to help the Avatar keep balance and peace in the Avatar World. In that case, you have to live in the Avatar Universe and can't leave to the regular world until you're 18. The way back to the real world was stored in Wan Shi Tong's library, but the Fire Nation burnt all information about it. I just appeared in the Avatar World.

The spirits indicated where I should go. Or so I was always told. I think otherwise, however. I was to stay in the Northern Water Tribe until I was 15, then transfer to the South. Why that decision was made we will never know.

Nothing important happened at the Northern Water Tribe. But, I will tell you about the south.

I was 15, being transferred finally, glad to be out of the north, bored to death here just like I was there. I shrugged it off. I didn't care less. This was home as far as I was concerned. It was all I knew. I wouldn't know any better for a while.

All I knew was:

A) I had no parents

B) I had no friends here

and

C) I didn't have any other family

You could say I wasn't happy. But at the same time you couldn't say I was sad either. I hadn't felt any type of emotion for a long time.


	2. The First Day-The Boy in the Iceberg

Even though I could barely even waterbend, my potential earthbending skills kicked in and my seismic sense picked up the fact that there was a girl behind me. I turned around.

"You must be the new girl. The Humanbender," she stated the obvious. I knew I didn't really belong here. Sure I had brown hair like most Water Tribe members, but it was wavy and lighter than theirs. My skin was lighter too. My eyes _weren't even blue_. _They were boring old brown_. I just didn't have the heart to tell her I didn't need the reminder.

I just nodded.

"I'm Katara. What's your name?"

"Salilah," I managed to get out with decency.

"That's a really pretty name."

"Thanks."

"I have to help my Gran-Gran with chores after I show you to your tent. But I'll see you later after that. Ok?"

I nodded again as we reached my tent. It was small and quaint. _And _it didn't remind me of the Northern Water Tribe _at all_. I think I'm gonna like it here.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Salilah!" Katara called to me when I walked out of my tent a short while later. I guess she got done with her chores.

I waved to her and she walked over to me. She showed me around and talked about everything that the _super_ small village had endured.

A young male voice called after Katara and me.

"Gran-Gran said we had to go catch some fish for this week's meals," he told us when we got there, fishing gear already ready in his hands.

He saw my face of disgust and laughed. I hated fish. It's all we ever ate at the north. I definitely didn't want it here.

"It gets tasteless," he shrugged.

"Sokka," Katara said (well now I know his name), "This is the Humanbender Salilah." When did I ever say that I couldn't introduce myself?

We shook.

We walked to their canoe and headed out. The time I was in there I figured out that they were siblings, as well as their ages. Sokka was 15 like me and Katara was 14.

Sokka tried to get many fish but failed. Katara and I both tried to bend some out, but Sokka poked Katara's water bubble with the end of his spear. The water burst and he became soaked head to toe.

"How come every time you play with magic water I get soaked?" Sokka asked, a little flustered.

"It's not magic Sokka," Katara explained, "It's waterbending."

"You can waterbend?" I asked, suddenly hopeful since I hadn't learned any waterbending my whole time in the north.

"I'm the only waterbender in the South Pole."

"And she's still obviously learning," Sokka added, trying to dry himself before it froze with the cold air.

While I was practicing _my own_ waterbending, Katara and Sokka got into a big disagreement. Katara got so mad that she accidentally crushed our canoe _and_ managed to crumble an iceberg. And she did it all with waterbending. At least we made it to a floating chunk of ice to serve as our safety until we figured something else out. We also got rid of the one or two fish we managed to catch. Yay!

"Did I do that?" Katara asked with wide eyes.

Sokka and I both nodded.

We heard the glowing iceberg coming up through the water. Then we saw it. You could make out two figures. One giant one and one smaller one.

"There's a boy in there!" Katara stated the obvious again as she jumped from one small floating ice chunk to another.

"Katara! Wait! It might be dangerous!" Sokka and I yelled after her. We looked at each other and started after her.

Katara took Sokka's machete from his hands and started beating on the outside until it cracked.

It opened up and air exploded out of the iceberg. The boy in the iceberg fell out. Katara caught him just before he hit the ground.

As he slowly opened his eyes, he started to ask Katara a question in a raspy voice, "I need to ask you something. Please come closer." Katara obeyed and the boy instantly brightened as he asked: "Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

"Sure…?" she said confused.

He stood up and walked around the iceberg to a huge furry and fluffy monster.

He tried for what seemed like forever to get it to move.

"What's your name?" I finally asked him.

"I'm ah-ah-ah-ahchoo!" he flew up high in the sky as he sneezed. He instantly came back down again and told us, "I'm Aang." Then he wiped his nose. Real sexy.

"You're an airbender!" Katara exclaimed with recognition. (Again with the obvious thing…)

He tried again to get the furry thing to move. When he finally did, he introduced us. "This is Appa, my flying bison."

"Right," Sokka said, "And this is Katara, my flying sister."

I stifled back a laugh.

Finally, because we had no other way to get home, Aang took us back to the village on Appa.

Aang decided to stay for a while. Hey, any distractions to help me get comfortable here will help. I'm just glad I have three potential new friends. This is going great.


	3. Return of the Avatar

When we got back to the village, Katara took Aang and me penguin sledding while Sokka trained the little boys of the village to be warriors someday.

When the penguins stopped after the last hill, we were in front of an old Fire Nation naval battleship. Aang wanted to explore, naturally. Of course. He's a boy.

"This ship has haunted my village since Gran-Gran was a little girl," Katara told us.

Aang walked toward the vessel and climbed through the hole in the side of the ship.

"I don't think that's a good idea Aang," I told him although I was as curious as he was, so I followed him.

Katara got in after us so she could keep an eye on us.

"So why is there a war?" Aang asked us, running his fingers along the cracks in-between the different sheets of metal.

"What do you mean 'Why is there a war?'" I asked him with impatient curiosity, "It's been going on since the last Humanbender was here."

"It wasn't happening a few days ago when I put Appa and me in that iceberg," Aang sounded genuinely confused.

"The war has gone on for 100 years," Katara told Aang.

"Could it be possible that-?" I cut myself off astonished, not wanting to say even the possibility of it.

Aang looked at me wide-eyed. "You aren't saying that-"

"You were in that iceberg _the whole time_!" Katara barely managed to get out.

Aang sank down to the floor and sat. "So I'm one hundred and twelve years old?"

"Yikes," I told him, trying to make it sound sympathetic as I held out my hand to him to help him up.

We kept walking around the ship. No doubt looking for a way out now.

"Be careful for any booby-traps," Katara warned us.

Just our luck, Aang tripped over a clear wire.

"What is that you said about booby-traps?" he asked with alarm.

Luckily for us there was an open escape hatch above our heads. Aang picked Katara and me both up and flew us out of the hatch and to the village faster than the wind.

The ship had sent off a warning flare when he tripped over the wire. I'm just hoping it doesn't mean trouble.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

What did I _just_ say about trouble? Guess what? When we got back to the village, Sokka was frantic and told us that the flare probably warned Fire Nation fleet that was more than likely heading to us at that moment.

"Great!" I flung my head back in exasperation, "I just got here and we might get ambushed. How much worse could my amazing life get?"

I headed back to my tent and packed a bag if we had to evacuate. I packed my sleeping bag, two blue tank tops, my (also blue) extra skirt and pants, leggings (blue again), both of my one-strapped bandeaus (more blue), my black cloak, an extra (blue) parka, and _lots_ of undergarments. I also packed any food I could find in my tent.

For a second I thought I was overreacting. Maybe we weren't going to get ambushed by the Fire Nation.

Turns out that I _wasn't_ overreacting, well, this time anyway. A jolt stopped my packing for a moment. I slung my bag over my shoulder and went outside.

A smaller replica of the Fire Nation ship we just went into was parked in the town's wall.

I walked over to where Katara and Sokka were standing. I missed the part where Aang was told he had to leave because he caused the village to be in peril with the whole flare thing.

The tip pf the bow of the ship went down into a ramp so the people on board the vessel could get off. Mean looking Fire Nation people in full-fledged armor walked down the ramp.

"Bring me all of your elders!" one of them yelled at the group of people when they reached the snow. He was around my age. He couldn't have been more than sixteen years old. A helmet covered most of his face.

All of the elderly, including Katara and Sokka's Gran-Gran, lined up so he could inspect.

"He's not here!" he yelled furiously, "I know you're hiding him! Tell me where he is!" He grabbed Gran-Gran, "I'm looking for the Avatar. He should be about this age."

Aang flew in on his glider. "I think you're looking for me," he said, airbending to prove his point. He never told us he was the Avatar, but I kinda assumed because of the fact he was an _airbender_ in an _iceberg_. Common sense says this is the Avatar standing directly in front of us.

The young angry one that exclaims a lot looked baffled. "But you're a kid…"

"And you're just a teenager," Aang told him.

I had to bite my lip to try and keep from laughing. I could see Sokka and Katara do the same.

The angry teen firebent at Aang and told him he wanted Aang to come with him back to the Fire Nation.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave this village and the people in it alone?" Aang asked forcefully.

The younger one nodded.

He took the poor, young, airbending Avatar into his ship. The way Aang looked back at us made my heart break.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"We have to save Aang," I told Sokka and Katara after the crowd settled down and got back to the regular day-to-day activities.

"Whoa," Sokka said, slamming my idea, "We can't. Fire Prince Zuko has him. We can't fight him _and_ get Aang back. I'm too young to die."

"I'm guessing the angry one was Zuko… But who says we're gonna die?"

Katara didn't look like she wanted to go either.

"Aang is our friend. It's technically my job to help him as the Humanbender because of the fact he's the Avatar. And I'm not going alone."

"Well it looks like you're going to," Sokka said sympathetically as he headed back to his tent.

"Oh come on Sokka," I tried.

"Fine," he said, walking back toward us after having to pause to think a moment.

"Katara?" I asked cautiously.

She shook her head.

"He saved us in the Fire Nation ship. It's the _least_ we could do for him. _And_ because he's the Avatar, he has to learn waterbending. Maybe we could all three learn together. You're getting nowhere at it here." Now that pulled the trigger.

She smiled. "Alright."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

After finally figuring out the words to get Appa off the ground and into the air, we were on our way. It didn't take very long for them to get permission from Gran-Gran to go get Aang, but it set us behind a few minutes. But we weren't that far behind. They had only left like fifteen minutes before we had. And Appa was a lot faster than I had originally thought.

I spotted the boat. I urged Appa down toward it. We landed on it. Right away, guards started to attack us with fire. Hello? I'm afraid of fire. Waterbender here (that ironically has to learn firebending to be a fully realized Humanbender.) I used some ocean water and flung the guards overboard. Katara's help made it a little easier.

Fire Prince came out and asked what was wrong. What does it look like to you? Your guards are getting their asses kicked by two girls and a nonbending boy with a boomerang and a machete.

Aang must have escaped because he blasted air and sent the Prince flying from the open door.

"Katara! Salilah! Sokka! You came to rescue me!" he said running towards us.

"Hell yeah! Who else has the duty of assisting the Avatar?" I told him.

There were fire blasts that came from the Royal Pain in the Ass. I turned and blasted him with airbending I didn't know I had in me. He went over the side of the ship. Sokka went over and tapped his head with the end of his machete. We barely got away after Katara waterbent the Fire Nation cop things frozen, _and_ Sokka's feet.

Just as we were safe in the air on Appa a good distance from the ship, Prince Fume-a-lot climbed the anchor of the ship and onto the ship's deck. He blasted a fire ball in our direction that _barely_ missed us.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" Katara asked Aang on our way back to the village.

"Because I never wanted to be," Aang replied, looking in the distance.

"Can I tell you a story?" I asked the little airbender.

He looked at me in the way to go ahead.

"Well," I began, the same way I do with all of my stories, "there once was a little girl. She never seemed to belong anywhere. The other little kids made her feel terrible on the inside. She swore she'd never have any friends as long as she lived. Then, she moved to an entirely different place and met a girl and two boys. She instantly regretted the vow as they all became fast and easy friends. Even after what the other kids did to her long ago, she started to trust the three she just met. Now, I might just be the Humanbender, a measly assistant to the great and powerful Avatar, but I _do _know that you have to accept anything and everything that happens to you. The little girl was, and still is me. When I'm ready, I'll tell you my whole story on trusting someone."

Ok, so I lied. Big deal. Something major happened at the Northern Water Tribe. I'm just not ready to come out and say it yet.


	4. The Southern Air Temple-A New Family

We got back to the village a short ride later. Katara and Sokka got permission to travel the world with Aang and I. Aang and I both were supposed to learn to bend all four elements.

We first were headed to the Northern Water Tribe so Aang, Katara, and I could learn to waterbend.

The Northern Water Tribe was a dark and haunting memory for me. It was the place where I got the most painful scars of my life. I don't think I'll ever be rid of them.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang was taking us to the Southern Air Temple, where he grew up, before we went to the north. Any detour we took before going to that freezing hell hole was fine by me.

When we got there, Aang told us about how it was when he lived there. We walked all over the beautiful grounds. It remained beautiful until I found something on the ground.

I spotted a Fire Nation helmet on the ground. It had soot on it from the Air Nomad Genocide that took place here a hundred years ago. I hid it from Aang by standing in front of it.

"You can't hide it from him forever," Sokka told me quietly enough so no one else heard.

I shook my head. "It's my duty as the Humanbender to help the Avatar. Protection is one of the set assignments."

"He has to learn some time." He gave me a sad look that meant I can't keep him from anything that he had to know either.

We went to the Hall of Avatars. I guess the Humanbenders weren't important enough to have their own hall. There were only four before me anyway.

Suddenly there was a crashing sound. Thinking it might be Prince Zuko, I hid behind the statue of Avatar Roku with Aang. We both peeked around the arms of the figurine.

"Oh," Aang stated with relief, "It's just a lemur."

"Meat!" Sokka shouted, chasing the poor little creature with his machete in hand.

"Wait!" Aang called after him, running to catch up.

Katara and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

"Should we go after them?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Might as well just walk," she shrugged.

When we got out to the garden, Aang was still chasing Sokka and the lemur. It led him to a room on the grounds we didn't cover. He went inside. Katara and I followed, knowing what possible danger could be inside.

Inside we saw three skeletons. We all three saw them. I could see Aang recognize one as his guardian Monk Gyatso. Aang became immensely angry at the sight.

Sokka came in just then. "I wasn't going to really eat the lemur Aang I just-" he cut off when he saw what we were looking at.

Aang went into the Avatar State from all the pain that built up from the horror we were facing.

"Aang!" I rushed over to him and tried to pull him down.

He looked over at me sharply.

"It's ok Aang," I whispered, "It's going to be ok." I succeeded in pulling him down from the air.

The Avatar State ceased and Aang was calm again, crying in my arms.

"I'm here Aang. Katara, Sokka, and I are your new family now. We'll protect you."


	5. Kyoshi Island-Air to Breathe

"You have no idea where you're going, do you?" Sokka asked Aang as he looked at the map of the (Avatar) World.

"Well I know it's near water," Aang replied.

I looked at the stretch of blue water all around us. "It looks like we're getting close then."

I heard Katara get irritated beside me as she had to redo a stitch in Sokka's pants.

"Momo," Aang told the lemur we now made as a pet, "Marbles please." The lemur got them out of the Avatar's shirt. "Hey Katara," Master Arrowhead said, "Check out this airbending trick." He performed it.

"That's great Aang," Katara told him, not looking up from her sewing that was making her more agitated by the minute.

"You didn't even look," he said unhappily.

She looked up at him. "That's great Aang."

"But I'm not even doing it."

"Stop bugging her Airhead. You need to give girls space when they do their sewing," Sokka told Aang.

I faceplamed. You really can't say that.

"What does me being a girl have to do with sewing?" Katara asked Sokka, soaked with annoyance.

Sokka could have just said nothing at all, or actually say the word nothing, but he went all the way. "Simple. Girls are better at fixing pants, cooking, and cleaning, and stuff like that than guys. And we're better and hunting and fighting and things like that. It's just the natural order of things."

I groaned and held my face in my hands. Why can't we all just _get along_?

"All done with your pants!" Katara threw the blue leg wear at him, "And look what a great job I did!"

"Wait!" Sokka held up the pants and stuck him arm through a hole, "I was just kidding! I can't wear these! Katara please!"

"Relax Sokka," Aang assured from the reins, "Where we're going you won't need pants."

I took the sewing material from Katara and held out my hand for Sokka's pants. I finished sewing them as Aang flew us toward an island.

The only reason we went to this particular island is the fact that Aang wanted to ride the elephant koi. They hated to be ridden on, but he told us that was the fun part about it.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We watched him ride it for a while. It got a little boring. Then I spotted something in the water.

"Aang!" I called out to him, "Get out of the water now!"

He saw the thing in the water moving toward him and ran at lightning speed across the water, bumping into me when he reached the beach.

"I appreciate getting my ass run over Aang," I stood and brushed myself off while he put on his clothes over his underwear.

We gathered our stuff to leave, but were cut short when they started to ambush us.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The blindfolds were whipped off of our faces. All four of us we tied to a pole.

"You four have some explaining to do," an older man told us.

"And if you don't answer all of our questions, we're throwing you back in the water with the Unagi," A girl dressed to represent Avatar Kyoshi told us.

"Who are you?" Sokka asked, "Where are the men who ambushed us?"

"There weren't any men Sokka," I told him, "These are the legendary Kyoshi Warriors."

The girl told him that her and her group ambushed us. "Now tell us who you are and what you're doing here?"

"Wait a second," Sokka protested, "There's no way a bunch of girls took us down."

"You are the most sexist person I think I've ever met," I told the idiot.

"A bunch of girls huh?" the girl grabbed Sokka by his parka collar, "The Unagi's gonna eat well tonight."

"No!" Katara shouted out, "Don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother's just an idiot sometimes."

"Sometimes? More like all the time," I muttered.

The girl released her grip on Sokka.

"It's my fault," Aang spoke up, "I'm sorry we came here. I just wanted to ride the elephant koi."

The man spoke again, "How do we know you're not Fire Nation spies? Kyoshi's kept out of the war so far and we intend to keep it that way."

"This island is named for Kyoshi?" asked Aang with hope, "I know Kyoshi!"

"Did you all miss where I said that these girls were _Kyoshi Warriors_?!" I asked. Everyone ignored my comment.

"Hah! How could you possibly know Avatar Kyoshi? Kyoshi was born here over 400 years ago. She's been dead for centuries."

"That may be because _I'm _the Avatar," Aang told them.

"That's impossible!" the girl exclaimed, "The last Avatar was an airbender who disappeared over a hundred years ago."

"That's me."

"Throw the imposter to the Unagi," the man told them.

They got ready to release Aang so he could become the sea monster's dinner.

"Aang," I mumbled to him, "You could do some airbending right about now."

He did, thank goodness. Everyone oohed and awed at the wonder of it.

"It's true," said the old man, "You _are_ the Avatar."

Then Aang did his stupid airbending trick. Oh this kid is a riot.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

They repainted the statue of Kyoshi on Aang's behalf. They also let us stay in a guest house and gave us desert for breakfast. Everyone ate but Sokka. He moped with his back against the wall.

"Sokka," Aang stated, "You have to try this."

"Not hungry."

"But you're always hungry," I told him.

"He's just upset that a bunch of girls kicked his butt," Katara said with a playful smirk on her lips.

"They snuck up on me!" he protested.

"Right. And _then_ they kicked your butt," I said.

"Sneak attacks don't count. Tie me up with ropes. I'll show them a thing or two," he walked off after grabbing a few things to eat.

"He does know that sneak attacks are the same thing as ambushes, which is what he technically just said, right?" I asked the remaining two.

Katara shook her head and laughed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We stayed for a few more days, but had to leave when someone most expected (Zuko) came at an unsuspected time.

Epic battle blah blah blah. Burning things, the usual.

Aang used the Unagi to put out the fire before we left so Zuko would follow us and leave Kyoshi Island behind.

We lost Zuko a long time ago and had been in the air for a few days, heading toward Omashu, a city in the Earth Kingdom.

We stopped to rest for a while on a small remote island.

We unpacked so Appa could rest his back.

Katara practiced her waterbending.

"You don't think you could half teach me airbending? Would you Aang?" I asked him as he told Katara to use her legs when she bent.

"Sure thing Salilah!" he showed Katara a quick demonstration by shooting some air that sliced fruit from a tree a split second before Sokka's boomerang hit it.

He fumed and sat down for a while watching us all bend.

Airbending was hard at first, then I started getting the hang of it. Aang told me I was a natural.

I learned to fly a glider and he started to make me one, using an old pair of blue pants I had outgrown but brought with me anyway to use as the cloth.

"Now we have no lunch," Sokka said, "Thanks to Arrowhead, we can't use those fruits to serve as a meal."

"I'll go with you to look for food," I offered to him.

"Ok," he put his boomerang in its holder on his back, "Let's go."

"We'll be back before dark," I told Katara and Aang, grabbing my new glider.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"We've been gone a while Sokka, and we still haven't found food," I said worriedly.

"Don't worry Sal. I found a berry bush."

"What if it's poisonous?"

He shrugged.

I heard a rustle of leaves. Momo wasn't with us, so it couldn't have been him.

"Be quiet," Sokka whispered to me before I could say anything.

"I don't think that's an option now," said the familiar voice of Royal Pain in my Ass Zuko, "Unless you choose to scream. Then you need to be silent."

He took us with him, sticking both of us on a kimono rhino. I was riding on one with Zuko while Sokka was across from me with a soldier.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You're hurting me Zuko," I told him a little later, a base camp where they were building something in view.

He loosened his grip on me. "Sorry," he muttered.

Did you catch that or am I just hearing things? Did _Prince Zuko _just _apologize_? Now there's a big step for our now courteous enemy.

We stopped in front of the entrance to the base camp.

"Take them around back," Zuko lifted me off the rhino since I was unable to with my hands tied as they were, "I'll talk to the Avatar's playmates later."

I grabbed my staff when no one was looking and followed Sokka and the two other guards.

"What's the plan Team Captain?" I whispered to Sokka as we walked.

"I'm working on it. But I'm open to ideas when and if you get any," he muttered back.

The guards made us kneel on the ground at the base of a small balcony where Zuko stood facing the opposite way from us. They untied our wrists and I grabbed my staff protectively.

"I'm going to ask you once nicely," Zuko said quietly as the guards left us all alone, "Where are you keeping the Avatar?"

"If you haven't noticed, we are all always together. But sometimes we split up to take care of chores faster. Those are the times where you attack, looking for Aang, but manage to somehow always miss the group that _he's_ in, instead _I'm_ always in the group," I answered.

"No let me go!" screamed Katara's voice from behind us.

I turned around, standing up to give my aching knees a break.

"We found her trying to climb the wall Your Highness," one of the guards told Zuko.

"Is the Avatar with her?"

"No sir."

"Then where is he?!" Zuko turned around to see Aang fly right in front of him on his glider.

"There," I said with a smirk, Aang and I both using our staffs to bend air at the prince.

The guards tried to take me away so I wouldn't interfere with the Fire Prince fighting the Avatar.

"Leave her be," Zuko told them, "The Avatar _and_ the Humanbender. My father would be a fool not to accept my returning to home then."

Aang and I retreated to the piece of equipment they were building at the base camp. We both climbed up, dodging Zuko's fire punches and pieces of wood that were burning from Zuko's attacks.

Zuko finally stopped and used the pulley to get himself up.

We were on the head of the statue at this point.

We all held a stance. Aang and I directed ours at Zuko while his was facing at each of us.

Zuko attacked me first, sending me off the head. I closed my eyes and then remembered I had a glider. I opened it just in time to fly up a bit and see Aang go into the Avatar State and fling Zuko off the statue.

I caught Zuko on the top of my glider in midair.

"Too bad I can't say a life for a life. Huh Zuko?" I lowered to a safe distance and dropped him off my glider.

Aang and I flew over to Katara and Sokka. I grabbed Katara while Aang grabbed Sokka, Momo, and a basket they had stolen.

"Great job on the food you guys," Aang laughed.

"Can't we just start flying to Omashu?" I asked when we got back to the island, "It's been a long hard day and I feel like I just got my ass kicked even if we won."


	6. The King of Omashu

I slept on the way to Omashu. I'll admit it wasn't all that pleasant. I had the worst nightmare going over there. It's too horrific to repeat. I couldn't put anyone in the torture of it, even from me just describing it.

We got off of Appa and hid him so no one would see him. Then, we headed across the wooden bridge to Omashu.

"Aang?" I asked stopping in the middle of the bridge, "What if people see you and recognize you? Wouldn't you need a disguise?"

He stopped and turned toward me. "I guess I would, wouldn't I?"

Aang turned around and took some loose fur of Appa's and fashioned a beard and a crazy wig out of the fuzz. When he finished, Aang spun back around and showed Katara, Sokka, and I.

"Ta da!" he exclaimed excitedly.

I clapped sarcastically and started my way across the bridge once more.

"Halt!" Two guards lowered their lances so we couldn't cross through.

"Excuse me young whippersnappers," Aang spoke up, coming to the front of our little posse and using his staff and a cane, "My name is Mr. Pippinpaddleoppsokopolis and we need to get through to this here fine city."

"My name is June Pippinpaddleoppsokopolis," Katara told the guards, coming forward to join Aang, placing her hands on both of the young Avatar's shoulders, "Excuse my grandfather please. He meant no harm or offensiveness whatsoever. We just really need to get through to Omashu if you don't mind."

"June is right," I said to the sentries, "My name is…" The only name I could think of was that of Avatar Roku's. It was a long shot but… "Roka Pippinpaddleoppsokopolis. Grandpa just wanted to visit an old family friend. So if you don't mind, we'll be going now…" I tried to push my way past and they raised their weapons.

"You there. Stop," the buffer of the two men commanded.

I cringed at the thought of them knowing about Aang.

"Carry your grandfather's bags," the other sentinel alleged Sokka.

Aang threw Sokka the carrier of some of our supplies (and a certain little lemur) and whistled as he walked through the gates of the city of Omashu.

"There's something I want us all to do," Master Arrow said over his shoulder as we walked throughout the city.

"Please tell me that it doesn't happen to be riding around on the mail carrier carts… It does doesn't it?" I scorned with disgust.

Aang turned around and frowned at me. "Do you ruin _everything_ in the world that might actually be _fun_?"

I gaped defensively. "I _do not_ ruin fun things. I just heard about how dangerous and seriously illegal riding those things are. I just don't want to get into a lot of trouble Aang."

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease? Please ride Sal. I promise it will be a lot of fun, _and_ we won't get into _too_ much trouble." Aang gave me the puppy dog frowny face.

"I love how you can't guarantee the fact that we won't get into any trouble at all…" I started uneasily.

His pout became too much for me to handle…

"But ok."

The kid just about knocked me over with how much force his hug exerted.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" I asked as the mail carrier cart we had just stolen teetered over the edge of the shaft, like we were about to go over the edge and potentially plummet to our humiliating deaths.

"Because you like having fun!" Aang shouted above the wind as we dropped the almost completely vertical drop.

I might like fun things, to a certain extent, but Aang's idea of fun was my stomach's idea of _you're about to throw up all over everyone and everything Salilah_. Hopefully, I manage to retain my nauseating state long enough to not make a thorough idiot out of myself so I could upchuck on my own private terms.

Like anyone reading this, and myself at the same time, you probably guessed that we eventually got caught red-handed and were turned in. It doesn't take much common sense to figure that one out. BTW's we did get caught. We were caught because we destroyed a man's cabbage cart. And we are now standing in front of the King of Omashu himself. Oh brother.

"Your majesty," one of the guards told the old man, "These juveniles are being arrested for vandalism, traveling under false pretenses, and malicious destruction of cabbages." I cringed at each of the charges.

"Off with their heads!" shouted the cabbage merchant. He was silenced by the guard.

"What is your judgment sire?" he asked.

The king looked at us skeptically in turn and said: "Throw them…a feast!"

Everyone was shocked and the merchant didn't look too happy with that decision. I was just filled with relief.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Looking at the table filled with every meat ever known to mankind made my stomach growl a lot louder than I wanted it too.

"People in my city have gotten fat from too many feasts," the King of Omashu came up behind Aang's chair, "So I hope you like your chicken leg without any skin."

"Thanks," Aang said politely, "But I don't eat meat."

"How about you?" the king turned to ask Sokka, "I bet you like meat." He stuck the entire leg in the poor Water Triber's mouth.

"Is it just me? Or is this guy's crown a little crooked?" Katara asked Aang and I.

"He's crazy," I agreed.

"So tell me young bald one," the crazy guy said to Aang as he sat down in the chair at the opposite end of the table from us, "Where are you from?"

"Kangaroo Island," Aang replied happily.

"Kangaroo Island eh? I head that place is really hopping," the king tried to make a joke. None of us laughed.

Sokka and I laughed at the same time. He actually thought it was funny. _I_, on the other hand, was trying to be nice and head to the Northern Water Tribe so we could get the waterbending part over with.

"All these good jokes are making me tired," the king yawned, getting up from his chair, "Guess it's time to hit the hay." He turned to the side like he was grabbing something. It made me suspicious.

Suddenly, he threw a chicken leg at each Aang and me.

Aang stopped one with his airbending at the same time I was slicing the other with mine.

"There's an airbender in our presence," the king told the guards around us, "Two of them actually. And not just _any_ airbenders. The Avatar and the Humanbender."

"Now what do have to say for yourselves Pippinpaddleoppsokopolises?"

"Ok," Aang stood up. I did too. "You caught us. I'm the Avatar. Doing my Avatar thing. Keeping the world safe."

"Yeah what he said. Except for in the tense of the Humanbender," I agreed with the airbender.

"Everything checks out," Aang added. "No firebenders here. So good work everybody." He put his arms around Katara and me while I put mine around him and Sokka. "We love each other. Respect all life and don't run with your spears." _Really Aang_? Was that last part necessary? We all started to back out of the throne room until the guards lowered their spears so we couldn't go any further.

"You can't keep us here," Katara told the king defiantly.

"Let us leave!" I added.

"Lettuce leaf?" the crazy man asked us. He started to eat it.

"We're in serious trouble," Sokka told us, "This guy is _nuts_."

"Tomorrow the Avatar will face three deadly challenges but for now, the guards will show you to your chambers."

What about the Humanbender? I'm important too! Oh wait. Challenges? Yeah… He can count me out on that one…

"My liege do you mean the good chamber or the bad chamber?" the guard next to the king asked.

"The newly refurbished chamber."

"Which one are we talking about?"

"The old that _used_ to be the bad chamber. Until the recent refurbishing that is," the old man said.

_What_?

OoOoOoOoOoOo

It turns out that the old prisoners' chambers that got newly refurbished are extremely nice and more comfortable than I had originally thought.

There were no windows or doors so we couldn't get out. Four beds were set in a square for all of us to sleep on.

"There is no way out of here," I plopped down on one of the beds.

"No," said Aang after he looked around, "But there are vents. And they're small enough for Momo to crawl though. Maybe he can get us out of here."

"No offense Airborne, but none of us speak Lemurese and Momo doesn't speak Humanish." I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes, resting my wrist on my forehead. I never knew how exhausting being part of the Avatar's entourage could be.

"Anyone else have any other ideas?" Sokka asked as Aang tried to squeeze Momo through one of the holes.

"We could sleep," I suggested.

"Sleep sounds good," Sokka yawned, hurdling himself next to me on the bed. The force made me hover in the air about a foot off the bed. Well, maybe not _that_ much.

"Get your own," I playfully pushed him and rolled over.

He made a fake screaming sound and trundled onto the floor, falsifying an injury.

"But seriously," Katara said, helping Aang get the poor lemur out of the hole.

"I'm beat," I peeked at everyone through one eye. Sokka stood in front of my face and was making a disturbingly scary look on his.

This time _I _screamed, and it wasn't fake.

The noise scared Momo as he finally got out of the hole. He ran across both Katara and Aang's heads. The sight made Sokka laugh.

"You will _so_ be getting paybacks," I told the teenage boy, trying to hurl myself at him.

He caught me in his arms.

We looked at each other and blushed, pulling away from the other and taking my earlier advice to go to sleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The wall was opened by a guard with earthbending the next morning.

"The King is ready for you now," he told me, Sokka and Katara in his hands.

"What about Aang?" I asked while we walked out of the throne room.

He didn't answer me.

They took us single-file to the throne room.

OoOoOoOoOo

The King was wearing purple robes. I thought we were in the Earth Kingdom, not in a legend of the infamous rebellious gang of shadowbenders called the Purple Shadows.

Just as soon as we looked at one another, we all knew something was up.

Aang came in with another guard.

"First Avatar," the king told Aang, showing off the crazy ceremonial dress, "What do you think of my new clothes? I want your honest opinion."

Aang didn't answer. I could tell he was thinking about what he should and shouldn't say.

"I guess it's fine?" Aang scratched his bald head.

"Excellent," the King told him, "You passed your first test."

"Really?" Aang asked with excitement. Only two more to go!

"Well, not one of the _deadly_ tests. The real challenges are much more challenging."

Aang ran right in front of the crazy guy.

"I don't have time for your crazy games! Give me my friends back! We're leaving."

"Oh. I thought you might refuse," the king said, "So I will give your friends some special souvenirs. I've decided to put gennomite rings on their fingers. They will slowly start to engulf your friends' bodies." I could feel the ring tighten on my finger as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "If you pass the test in enough time, you may be able to save them if you cooperate. If not, by nightfall they will be completely covered in the creeping crystal."

"I'll do it," Aang sneered at him. I have _never_ seen that kid do that. And I've only known him for about a week!

My ring was red. Katara's was green. And Sokka's was blue. Almost in unison, the rings started to creep up our fingers.

Next time, we are _so_ not riding those mail carts.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang's first challenge was to get the king's lunchbox key from a stalagmite in an underground cave beneath the palace. The stalagmite was underneath a roaring water fall. Aang couldn't waterbend to save his life. And I couldn't earthbend to get out of the ring I was in. The crystal was almost up my arm now.

Aang tried to climb the ladder against the force of the water.

"Climbing the ladder," King Crazy said sarcastically, "No one's tried _that_ before."

"Have you tried not being rude?" I muttered.

King Crazy heard me and glared at me.

Aang fell from the ladder and was almost impaled by a pointy rock.

He tried to get the key once more. This time by going in from above the waterfall.

It didn't work either. He ran right into a rock.

"That's right. Keep diving head-in. I'm sure it'll work eventually," Crazy told Aang.

"Seriously dude, chill!" I told Crazy.

He ignored me this time.

I could see a plan form on the young Avatar's face. He broke off a piece of stalagmite and threw it full force, with the help of airbending of course, to get the key. It attached and hung above the King's head.

"See?" I smirked.

"There! Enjoy your lunch!" Aang told him. "I want my friends back now!"

"Not yet. I need help with another matter," Cray-Cray told him. "It seems I've lost my pet Flopsie."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We were guiding to a pen area. A bunny looking thing was sitting on a rock in the middle of the pen. Aang flew down there to retrieve it.

"Ok found him!" Aang shouted up to us when he landed.

"Bring him to me!" Crazy called down to him, "Daddy wants a kiss from Flopsie."

"Come here Flopsie," Aang tried to coax the rabbit thing.

A more giant rabbit thing landed between Aang and the smaller one. The big beast lunged at Aang and Aang retreated. He chased after the small bunny.

"Flopsie wait!" he called, running after it.

The beast began chasing Aang again.

I would have been biting my nails if the creeping crystal hadn't been engulfing my entire body.

Crazy cackled.

The chase went on for a while before Aang realized the beast was Flopsie. Flopsie licked Aang's face. Then Cray-Cray whistled for the mutt.

He came bounding over to him.

Crazy scratched his belly.

"Guys, are you ok?" Aang asked us.

"Other than the giant crystal slowly encasing my entire body? Doing great," Katara replied as a section of her crystal grew.

"Let's just say I've never been more excited to go back to the Northern Water Tribe in my entire life," I told him.

Sokka's quartz grew and knocked him off balance from the unstable bulk.

Aang walked over to the King. "Come on," he said, "I'm ready for the next challenge."

Cray-Cray cackled again.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We were taken to an earthbending arena.

"You're final test is a dual," the King told Aang, "And as a special treat, you may choose your opponent."

Two men came out. They both had sword-like weapons.

There's got to be a catch to Crazy's final challenge.

"Point and choose," he told Aang.

"So you're saying that whoever I point to, that's who I get to fight?" Aang asked.

"Choose wisely…" the King said suspiciously.

"I…Choose…You," he pointed to the King.

The King cackled once more. "Wrong choice." He threw off his hideous robe. This dude was _ripped_!

What did I say about a catch again?

He used his earthbending skills and knocked Aang to the center of the arena.

Crazy jumped to where Aang lay.

He cackled again and I saw Aang's fear.

I was his protector. But I didn't feel protective enough. I couldn't do anything to help him…

"You thought I was a frail old man, but I'm the most powerful earthbender you'll ever see," Cray-Cray told the terrified Avatar. **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Psh… Yeah right. Toph can metalbend and you can't…)**

"Can I fight the guy with the ax instead?" Aang asked.

"There are no take-backsies in my kingdom," the King replied. "You might need this," he pointed to a guard holding Aang's staff. It was thrown down into the arena and into Aang's hands.

The King started to earthbend at Aang.

Aang did the signature Air Nomad defense style. _Nooooooope_. And dodged.

"Typical airbender tactic. Avoid and evade," the crazy old man told Aang.

Isn't that what I _just_ said?

"I'd hoped the Avatar would be less predictable," he earthbent another rock at the airbender.

Aang dodged it and flew in the air with his staff.

"Don't you have any surprises for me?" the airborne boy was asked. "Sooner or later you'll have to strike back."

Another boulder was sent his way and Aang was knocked from the air.

His staff fell a few yards behind him. He ran for the King. The King was doing a square of some sort with his feet to earthbend jagged rocks to block Aang's way.

Aang got hit with one of them.

"You'll have to be more creative than that," Crazy told the airbender.

Aang used his air scooter to cover more ground to get to the King.

He sent an air slice which was then blocked by an earth wall Cray-Cray bent.

"Did someone leave the windows open?" Crazy asked, "It feels a little drafty in here."

I could _hear_ the circus music playing at how psycho he was.

"Are you hoping I catch a cold?" he asked.

Aang got more earth sent his way. He got hit by it.

He barely dodged the next set that was forced his way.

Aang did a somersault and picked up his glider.

"How are you going to get me from way over there?" Cray-Cray asked him.

Aang narrowed his eyes and started to run toward the King as fast as airbendingly possible.

The King made the ground into mud. Two boulders flew in Aang's direction. If he didn't do something, and fast, he wasn't going to make it.

He used his airbending and got out, flying over the boulder and sending another air slice with his staff.

The air sent the King flying back to the arena wall.

Another boulder was sent to the Avatar from behind. Aang barely dodged it, but used his airbending to make it go towards Crazy. Cray bent it to dust.

The old man slid his foot along the ground. There was a cracking sound, and the balcony where the ax people, Aang, and the King once stood came flying toward the airbender.

Aang reacted quickly and ran in a circle to make an air whirlpool.

The balcony changed directions and came flying back toward the old man. The King split it in half so it wouldn't hit him and Aang came at him. He stopped in front of the man, but didn't strike anymore.

"Well done Avatar," the King told the young airbender. "You fight with much fire in your heart."

The old man sank into the ground and appeared where we stood at the top of the arena. Aang came too.

"You passed all my tests. Now, you must answer one question," Crazy told Aang.

"That's not fair. You said you would release my friends if I passed your tests."

"Oh but what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?"

"Oh come on!" Sokka whined.

"No kidding," I told him.

"Answer this one question and I will set your friends free," we were ignored. "What is my name?"

"By the looks of your friends, I'd say you only have a few minutes," he walked off, leaving us to ponder.

"How am I supposed to know his name?" Aang asked us.

"Think about the challenges," Katara suggested, "Maybe it's some kind of riddle."

"I got it!" Sokka said brightly.

"Yeah?" Aang asked excitedly.

"He's an earthbender right? Rocky!"

No one said anything/

"You know? Because of all the rocks?"

"We're going to keep trying, but that is a good backup," I told him reassuringly.

"Ok, so back to the challenges. I got a key from the waterfall, I saved his pet, and I had a dual."

"And what did you learn?" Katara asked.

"Well, everything was different than I expected."

"And?" Her crystal was creeping again.

"Well, they weren't straightforward. To solve each test, I had to think differently than I usually would. I know his name."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang talked with the King in private. He told us that he knew him as his old friend Bumi.

We three were ushered into the throne room with them. My forehead was the only thing not yet covered by the crystal.

Bumi earthbent and we were free.

"Gennomite is made of rock candy," Bumi took a bite out of it.

"So this old King is your old friend Bumi?" I asked.

"You are you calling old?" Bumi eyed me.

I raised my eyebrow.

"Ok, I'm old."

"Why did you do all this instead of just telling Aang who you were?" Sokka asked.

"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people. But I do have a reason." Bumi turned to Aang. "Aang, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to bring balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the elements and when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius."

Aang smiled at him and bowed.

"And it looks like you're in good hands. The Humanbender and your other friends will protect you well. You'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation."

"Thank you for your wisdom, but before we leave, _I _have a challenge for you."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang and Bumi went riding on the mail carts. Surprise, surprise…


	7. Imprisoned

We left Omashu a day ago. We didn't get very far, but we needed to stop and get supplies, as well as some better rest.

We were in a forest. Aang was lounging, Katara was folding our laundry, I was practicing my water and airbending, and Sokka had just come back with Momo from finding food.

"You're finally back!" I ran to Sokka.

"_You're_ awfully glad to see me," Sokka winked.

"Well yeah…but you have food…"

He smiled at me.

"What's for dinner?" Aang asked.

"We've got a few options," Sokka replied, opening his bag. "First, round nuts and some kind of oval shaped nuts. And some rock shaped nuts that might just be rocks. Dig in."

"Yeah… You can forget how happy I was…" I nudged Sokka.

"Seriously," Katara said glumly, "What else you got?"

Sokka looked in the bag and shook his head.

We suddenly heard a large boom, like thunder.

"What was that?" Sokka and I asked at the same time with equal alarm

We heard it again.

"It's coming from over there," Aang pointed through the trees to where the sound was coming from.

Katara and Aang went into the direction is was from.

"Yes everyone, run _toward_ the big boom…" I said sarcastically.

"I was actually about to say something about that," Sokka said.

"I beat you to it," I smiled. He returned the gesture.

"We should follow them."

I nodded and we started walking.

"Listen Sal, about that one night in Omashu…" Sokka started nervously and blushed.

I know what you're thinking. No, we didn't kiss. And no, we didn't do _it_.

"What about it?" My stupid voice sounded like a lovesick teenage girls'. All shy and high pitched.

"I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything that would get in between our friendship and didn't ruin it…"

"Of course not Sokka. You're one of my best friends."

"You've only known me for a little over a week."

"And?" I smiled.

We reached Katara and Aang now. They were watching a boy around our age earthbend.

"An earthbender," Katara said.

She's _really_ gotta stop stating the obvious.

"Let's go meet him," Aang smiled.

"I know we have to learn earthbending sometime Airhead, but you have to master water first," I told him.

"He looks dangerous, and we better approach cautiously," Sokka stated.

"Too late," I pointed to Katara who was attempting at introducing herself.

"Hello there! I'm Katara!" she was saying to the boy, "What's your name?"

He ran off and blocked the path with earth just as Aang, Sokka, and I got to Katara.

"Nice to meet you!" Aang yelled after him.

"I just wanted to say hi," Katara frowned.

"He's gotta be going somewhere. Maybe there's a village we can get supplies at and be on our way," I said.

"And I bet it has a food market!" Aang said happily.

"Which means no more nuts for dinner!" Katara shouted eagerly.

"Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts," Sokka crossed his arms as the other two ran off.

"Let's go then Nutjob," I smiled at him.

"Yeah, I hate them too." He started to follow them.

I laughed and walked with him.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang traded our nuts for a hat so he could cover his arrow. While Sokka, Aang, and I were laughing at him, Katara walked into a nearby shop.

"Hey girlie, where're you going?" I asked, but she was too far out of earshot.

"Let's go," Sokka walked to the store she went into.

I walked in as Aang was saying that he was the one who was earthbending.

The boy and the woman in the shop gasped and quickly shut all doors and windows.

"They saw you doing what?!" the woman asked the boy with alarm.

"They're crazy Mom, I mean look at how they're dressed," he protested.

I looked down at what I was wearing. A gray no sleeve cardigan that went down to my knees with a white sash over a light blue long sleeved shirt, a light blue skirt that went down to my knees, dark blue pants, black gloves, and my black boots. I didn't see anything wrong with it.

"You know how dangerous that is," the woman scolded the boy, "You know what would happen if _they_ saw you earthbending."

"Uh… I'm confused…" I said as there was a pounding on the door.

"Open up!" the voice shouted angrily.

"Fire Nation! Act natural!" Sokka whispered harshly as he looked out the blinds of the windows.

The woman opened the door to let them in.

Sokka and the boy were inspecting an apple, while Katara and I shared a bowl of berries, and Aang leaned on a barrel. Then the lid of the barrel gave way and hit him in the face.

I tried _so_ hard not to laugh.

"What do you want? I've already paid you this week," the woman told the Fire Nation soldier.

"Tax just doubled," he made fire in his hands, "And we wouldn't want an accident, would we?" He smirked. "Fire, is sometimes so hard to control."

The woman got a box and gave him the five pieces that was left.

"You can keep the copper ones," the combatant threw them on the floor.

I rushed to help her pick them up.

"Thank you," she told me with a sad smile.

"Nice guy," Sokka said sarcastically, "How long has the Fire Nation been here?"

"Five years," the woman replied, "Fire Lord Ozai uses our town's coal mines to fuel his ships."

"That explains the black snow when they invade the Southern Water Tribe…" I said quietly.

"They're thugs, they steal from us. And everyone here is too much of a coward to do anything about it," the boy crossed his arms.

"Quiet Haru (well now I know his name)!" the woman scolded him, "Don't talk like that."

"But Haru's an earthbender," Katara said, "He can help."

"Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village. He must never use his abilities."

"But how can you say that? Haru has a gift. Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to waterbend," Katara explained to the woman.

"It's a part of who we are, us benders," I joined in.

"You don't understand," the woman said, shaking her head.

"I think we do. Haru can fight back," I told her.

"What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?" Katara asked.

"They can take Haru away!" the woman snapped with tears in her eyes, "Like they took his father."

I watched Haru scowl at the thought.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"My mom said you can sleep here tonight," Haru led us to their barn, "But you should leave in the morning."

"Thanks," I told the boy.

"I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all of your hay," Aang said to Haru.

We settled down for the night and Katara went to talk to Haru.

"It's a shame. This is a really nice village," I said as I tried to get my sleeping bag and comfortable as possible.

"Yeah, I wish the Fire Nation didn't ruin all of it. These are nice, innocent people, why do they have to be shown harm?" Aang agreed.

"I don't know, but when we beat the Fire Lord, we'll be doing the whole world a favor," Sokka lounged against the wall.

"I hope you're right," I said.

"Of course I'm right Sal."

I nodded. "I'm sure you are."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to save that old man," Katara was telling us about her time with Haru.

"You must have really inspired him," Aang told her.

"I know you inspire us," I gave her a hug and smiled.

"I guess so. Thanks you guys," she beamed.

"Everyone should get some sleep, we're leaving at dawn," Sokka rolled to the side not facing us.

"Dawn?!" I asked him, "You've got to be kidding me Sokka!"

"This village is crawling with Fire Nation. If they discover you and Aang are here, then we'll be eating fire balls for breakfast."

"Fine. I guess you're right..."

"I almost always am. Good night."

"Night."

"I'd rather eat fire balls than nuts," Katara smirked and looked over at Sokka.

"_Good night_," Sokka told us sternly and rolled back over.

We laughed as I blew out the lone candle, and we all went to sleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I opened my eyes a short while later. I didn't know where I was at. The floor was polished black marble and the walls were blood red with intricate gold carvings. It had to be somewhere in the Fire Nation.

"There is no escaping little girl. You can't be saved now." It was a voice I didn't recognize.

"Salilah!" Another voice screamed my name. I recognized this one, so I ran toward it.

"Salilah!" it yelled again.

"I'm coming!" I wasn't going to lose him again. Not this time.

By the time I got to where his voice was coming from, he was gone.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I woke with a start and screamed.

"Salilah!" Everyone rushed over to me.

"Are you ok?" Katara asked me as I sobbed into their embrace.

I shook my head.

"Well you're ok now. I-_we_-are right here. Always," Sokka comforted me.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I woke again as I heard footsteps. I dismissed this and fell back to sleep, not knowing what was going to happen.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I actually woke happily the next morning at dawn. I helped Sokka pack while Katara went outside to get water from the well, and Aang got Appa ready.

"You scared me last night you know…" Sokka said to me quietly.

"Sorry?"

"I don't know what your nightmare was about last night, but I was terrified. I don't want to lose you Sal. I-"

Katara came in just then and cut Sokka off. He never finished what he was going to say.

"They took him. They took Haru away," she angrily.

"What?" Aang asked, shocked.

"The old man turned him into the Fire Nation and it's all my fault, I forced him into earthbending-"

"Slow down Katara," Sokka held her as she cried.

"When did this happen?" I asked.

"Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight."

"The footsteps…" My eyes widened.

"When did you hear those?" Sokka asked me with alarm.

"I don't know. It was after my nightmare."

"It's too late to track them. He's long gone."

"We don't need to track him," Katara faced the rising sun furiously, "The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru."

"And why would they do that?" Aang asked confused.

"Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I thought you were crazy at first Katara, but this might work," Sokka told his sister as they rolled a rock on top of an air vent.

"You're a genius girl. I wonder if that runs in the family," I praised her.

"Thanks Sal," she grinned at me.

"There are ventilation shafts all throughout these mines. All Aang has to do is send an air current from that vent to this one right here. The boulder levitates and _ta-da!_ fake earthbending," Sokka explained with smile.

"Aang, did you get any of that?" I asked the airbender who was teasing a butterfly.

"Sure, sure I got it," he replied.

I rolled my eyes.

"Do you remember your cue?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah yeah, just relax. You're taking all of the fun out of this."

This wasn't supposed to be fun.

"By _this_ do you mean intentionally being captured by a bunch of ruthless firebenders?" Sokka rolled his eyes too.

"Exactly. That's fun stuff."

I held my head in my head and groaned.

Please, dear spirits, let this work out as planned.

"Here they come," I pointed to the guards, "Places everyone!" I ran to hide behind the rock Aang was at while Katara and Sokka performed their "fight."

**Sokka: **Get out of my way Pipsqueak.

**Katara: **How dare you call me Pipsqueak you giant-eared cretin.

**Sokka: **What did you call me?

**Katara: **A giant-eared cretin. Look at those things! Do herds of animals use those for shade?

**Sokka: **You better back off. (This was quieter) Seriously, back off.

**Katara: **I will not back off. I bet elephants get together and laugh about how large _your_ ears are.

**Sokka: **That's it. You're going down.

**Katara:** I'll show you who's boss, earthbending style!

Nothing happened.

**Katara: **I said earthbending style!

Aang didn't pay attention, so I airbent into the vent.

**Guard: **That lemur, he's earthbending!

**Sokka: **No you idiot, it's the girl.

**Guard: **Oh, well in that case, you're under arrest!

I watched Sokka hold her before she was taken and tell her our plan.

As Katara was taken away, she looked back at us with sadness in her eyes.

"Good luck," I whispered.

Sokka tugged his ears.

"They're fine Sokka," I assured him.

"Momo, _you_ have some big ears," he pointed to the creature.

Aang and I laughed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We went to the docks and saw the cart Katara was being taken away on. Appa was nearby, but in hiding, so we could follow shortly after her boat left.

Sokka nodded to us once the boat left dock and we boarded Appa to follow the ship.

We flew in silence before we saw what Katara's ship was heading toward. A rig, out in the middle of the ocean.

"She'll be fine, Katara knows what she's doing," Sokka told us.

"Are you saying that for our sake, or for your own?" I asked quietly.

"Both."

Since we know where they were going to be, Aang flew Appa back to the mainland village so the bison wouldn't have to fly 12 hours straight.

I paced back and forth across the floor of the barn.

"Would you quit doing that?" Sokka asked me impatiently.

I shook my head and held it in my hands as I kept pacing and my thought raced wild.

"Are you kids hungry?" Haru's mother asked us.

"Yes, thank you," Aang bowed to her as she led us inside her home.

"What your friend did was very brave," she told us as she gave us some soup.

"She's got guts, I'll give her that," I said, eating a spoonful.

"She's got idiocy for pulling something like this too," Sokka slurped his soup.

"I just hope she really knows what she's doing," Aang stared at his soup.

I reached across the table and held his hand. "She'll be ok." I hope.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Katara's 12 hours were finally up, so we got on Appa and flew to the rig.

Aang went to go get Katara while Sokka and I stayed behind with Appa and Momo.

"You never finished what you were going to say earlier this morning," I said to him.

"It's not important. Just forget it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It was no big deal."

"Why won't you tell me?"

For the second time that day, Sokka was cut off from what he was going to say.

"Your 12 hours are up, where's Haru?" Sokka asked her quietly.

"We gotta get out of here, ASAP, Katara," I told her.

"I can't," Katara said as Aang slipped through the bars and back onto Appa.

"We don't have much time. There are guards everywhere," Sokka held out his hand to help her.

"Katara? What's wrong?" Aang asked her as she just stood there, not moving.

"I'm not leaving," she replied.

"What? Why not?" I asked.

"I'm not giving up on these people."

"What do you mean you're not leaving?" Sokka asked as he helped her through the bars to we could plan.

"We can't abandon these people," she frowned at him, "There has to be a way to help them."

"Maybe she's right; what do you say Sokka?" Aang turned to him.

"I say you're both crazy," a light crossed and we bent down as he spoke, "Last chance, we need to leave, _now_."

"_No_," Katara told Sokka sternly.

"I hate when you get like this," Sokka frowned and shook his head as another light passed.

"We gotta hide guys," I told them.

We slipped through the bars and ran as Appa went to hide and guards were coming around the corner.

"That was close," I said breathlessly as we hid in our newfound spot.

"A little too close if you ask me," Sokka stated. "We don't have much time, what are we going to do?"

"I wish I knew how to make a hurricane…" Aang said.

"Really Aang? A hurricane? What good would that do us? There's no way we could get all of the earthbenders out on Appa," I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"I guess you're right."

"I tried talking them into fighting back, but it didn't work," Katara said glumly, "If there was just a way to help them help themselves."

"For that they'd need some kind of earth, or rock," Sokka thought out loud.

"The smoke!" I brightened.

"What about it?" Aang asked me.

"They've got to be burning something if there's smoke. And what kind of mines did that village have? Coal mines! They could bend the coal!"

"Salilah! You're a genius!" Sokka embraced me.

"Crushing me."

"Sorry." He let go.

"It's almost dawn," Katara told Sokka and me, "We're running out of time."

"She's right. I wish Aang would hurry it up down there," I tapped my foot impatiently.

"You sure this is going to work Sokka?" Katara asked him.

"It should. These vents reminded me of our little trick back at the village. We're going to do the same thing, but on a much bigger scale," Sokka explained.

"Who's the genius now?" I winked at him and he grinned.

"There's a huge pile of coal at the base of the silo, and the whole system is ventilated. Aang closed off all the vents except one. When he does his airbending, the coal only has one place to go."

"Here," I finished for him.

"Exactly."

"There's the intruders!" we heard a guard yell.

"Uh-oh," I said.

"Stay back," Sokka shielded as much of Katara and me as possible, "I'm warning you."

"Katara stop," the man next to Haru, who I am assuming is his dad, said, "You can't win this fight."

"Listen to him well child," I could tell this man was the warden, "You're one mistake away from dying where you stand."

Hurry up Aang…

They closed in on us as we heard the coal rumble up the shaft.

Thank you spirits.

All of the coal came flying out and crashing down in a heap at the prisoners' feet.

Then the amazing airbender came out of the chute, covered in soot, and airbendt himself clean.

"Here's your chance earthbenders, take it!" Katara held up a piece of coal, "Your fate is in your own hands."

At first, no one moved. I was about to give up all hope. Especially when the warden started to laugh at Katara.

"Foolish girl, you thought some inspirational words and some coal would change these people?" the warden mocked her, "Look at these blank, hopeless faces."

Please. This was our only chance. If it doesn't start working soon, we're all done for. And then, Ozai would pretty much win the war…

"Their spirits were broken a long time ago. But you still believe in them. How sweet."

C'mon Katara…

"They're a waste of your energy little girl."

He called you a little girl! You can't take that!

"You failed."

No…Katara…Please…

I relaxed from my stance and looked at the ground. I give up. Entirely. I've lost all hope. The small part I actually had left…

I didn't even know someone earthbent until I heard the coal piece hit the warden's head. I looked up with a snap to see him turn around furiously.

Haru has three small pieces of coal in his hands. And he was earthbending! Thank you spirits! Just when I had given up all hope whatsoever!

The warden firebent at the young teen, but a wall of coal stopped it. Haru's father had just joined in.

"Show no mercy!" the warden told his soldiers.

They firebent again, and an even bigger wall, caused by more earthbenders, went up.

"For the Earth Kingdom," Haru's father bellowed, "Attack!" The wall came crashing down on the firebenders.

Every earthbender had joined in now.

Sokka cut off the spearheads of the staffs the guards had, while Katara and I used water from the nearby ocean to attack, and Aang used his airpower to knock some guards down with coal.

The door was busted open by a giant piece of coal, but I didn't get to see who it was from.

"Get to the ship!" Haru's father told the prisoners, "We'll hold them off!"

"Do not let them escape," the warden told the two soldiers next to him as they firebent toward the running earthbenders.

"Think again," I smirked and knocked out the two sentries, but managed to miss the warden because he dodged.

Aang used his airbending to take out the warden with coal.

The earthbenders used the coal to push them away and into the ocean.

"Katara," I turned to my fellow waterbender, "I think you're my hero." I hugged her.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys," she hugged me back as the boys hugged us to make it a group hug.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The earthbenders were free, and safely on the boats.

Haru and his father, Tyro, were on Appa with us.

"I want to thank you for saving me Katara, and my father," Haru acknowledged Katara.

"All it took was a little coal," Katara blushed, embarrassed.

"Nah, you did more than that Katara. You gave them hope. Something they had lost. Something I lost. You returned it to them. And for that, we're all grateful," I nodded at her approvingly.

"She's right. It wasn't the coal Katara, it was you," Haru concurred.

"Thank you for helping me find my courage," Tyro placed his hand on Katara's shoulder, "Katara of the Water Tribe. My family, and everyone here, owes you much."

"So, I guess you're going home now," Katara smiled at the man.

"Yes, to take back my village. To take back all of our villages!"

The other benders cheered.

"The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"

"Oh trust me Tyro, when I get through with them, they'll do more than regret…" I smirked smugly as everyone laughed.

"Katara, come with us," Haru asked her.

"Your mission is to take back your home, ours is to get Aang to the North Pole," she replied.

"And that's him, the Avatar" I smiled over at Aang.

"Katara, I thank you for bringing my father back to me, I'd never thought I'd see him again. I only wish there was some way…" Haru told her.

"I know." Katara reached to her necklace instinctively, but it was gone. "My mother's necklace!"

"Katara, I'm so sorry," I comforted her.

"It's ok. We'll get it back, sometime…"

OoOoOoOoOoOo

**Sorry about this wait too guys! Trying to get the lines as accurate as I want them is absolutely hair-tearing.**

**Anyway, Salilah ha a nightmare, but who is it about? There was more Salilah-Sokka hinted in this chapter as well as the previous one. Will they end up together, or end up in heartbreak? Keep reading to find out!**


	8. The Spirit World

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they?" Katara asked dreamily, "Like you'd jump down and land in a big, soft cottony heap."

"I doubt they're as soft as you think they are," I pulled the hood of my cloak farther down over my eyes to try and block the sun as I napped.

"Maybe you should give it a try," Sokka said sarcastically.

"You're hilarious Sokka," Katara said with just as much sarcasm.

"Why don't you try Aang?" I asked the airbender at the reigns, "You can actually fly just in case they aren't as fluffy as Katara thinks."

"Yeah!" he replied brightly, "I'll try it!"

He jumped off of Appa with his staff, laughing gleefully.

"Weirdo," I muttered under my breath.

Katara and Sokka looked over the side of the saddle.

"He does know that clouds are made of condensed water, right?" I asked them.

Neither one answered me.

"Or nah. That's cool too."

Aang landed down beside me, flicking excess water on me.

"Thanks Aang," I grumbled.

"Turns out, clouds are made of water," Aang said, drying himself off, splashing me with more water.

Sokka raised an eyebrow at the boy.

Katara's eyes flickered to something in the distance. "Hey, what is that?'

I lifted my hood and looked in the direction she was looking.

"It's like a scar…" Sokka trailed.

My hand instinctively touched my left shoulder, but I didn't say anything.

Aang landed Appa.

"Listen," Sokka told us.

"For what? It's so quiet," I said.

"Exactly. There's no life anywhere."

Aang looked around at the burned forest with tears in his eyes.

"Aang?" Katara asked him gently," Are you ok?"

I saw the footprints on the ground and pointed them out to Sokka.

"Fire Nation!" he cried angrily, "Those people make me sick! They-"

"Shhhhhh!"Katara cut him off.

"What? I'm not allowed to be angry?"

"I think she means not now," I pointed to Aang.

"Oh."

The poor airbender crashed to the ground.

"Why would anyone do this?" he asked sadly.

"Aang, I don't know. But I'm so sorry you have to see this…" I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"But how could I let this happen?"

"Aang, it wasn't your fault. You didn't know."

"She's right," Katara joined me, "It has nothing to do with you."

"Yes it does. It's the Avatar's job to protect nature, but I don't know how to do my job…"

"And you think protecting the Avatar, with no experience or help whatsoever, is easier? I don't know how to do my job either Aang," I told him.

"That's why we're going to the North Pole, to find you and Salilah a teacher," Katara reassured him.

"Yeah, a _waterbending_ teacher. How is that going to help me be the Avatar? There's no one who can teach me to be the Avatar."

"Can't you connect with a past life?" I asked.

"I don't know how to do that. Monk Gyatso told me that Avatar Roku would help me."

"The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago. How were you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka asked.

"I guess I'm supposed to try to spiritually connect with him like Salilah said, but I'm not really sure how to do that."

Momo crawled into his lap, and Aang stroked his fur.

"I wish I knew Aang, I'm sorry," I sat beside him.

"It's ok Sal. You're doing your best to try to protect me."

"It's not exactly easy. I mean, you rode elephant koi, then you tried to ride the Unagi, which you almost _died_ on."

He smiled at me. "I'm just making sure you can keep up."

"I'll do my best."

We all laughed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey Aang, you ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked him.

Aang had gotten gloomy again after Sokka and I left to scope out the area and Katara did whatever she does when Sokka and I leave to do something. Now we have to try to make him happy so we can get to the Northern Water Tribe.

"No," he answered, hanging his head.

"We are _never_ going to get to the North Pole at the rate we're going…" I muttered to Sokka.

"No kidding."

Katara threw an acorn at Aang's head.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, "How was that supposed to cheer me up?"

Katara tossed another in her hand.

"Cheered me up," I smirked. Sokka laughed and high-fived me before Katara threw the next one at his head.

"Ow! Yeah, I probably deserved that." He held his head.

"Nice shot," I told Katara.

She smirked and turned back to Aang. "These acorns are everywhere. That means the forest will grow back."

"As long as we can leave, I don't care what does and doesn't grow back…" Sokka said in my ear.

"Ditto."

"Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday," Katara continued, clearly ignoring our comments, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back.

"Thanks Katara," Aang smiled at her.

"Yeah. Thanks Katara. Can we go now?" I asked impatiently and stood, hintingly pointing to the giant bison.

Katara gasped and looked to her left.

An old man was walking toward us.

"Hey, who are you?" Sokka rose from the ground.

"When I saw the flying bison," the old man didn't answer Sokka, "I thought it was impossible. But those markings…are you the Avatar, child?"

Aang looked at Katara for guidance and she nodded. Aang nodded at the old man as his answer.

"My village desperately needs your help."

Or we can stay a while… *Groan.*

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The old man led us to his village. Damaged houses and various stores lined the empty streets. We walked into what I assumed was the city hall.

"This young person is the Avatar," the old man introduced Aang.

Hello? Humanbender standing right here? Oh forget it.

"So the rumors of your return are true," another man came to speak to the young airbender, "It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in your presence."

"Nice to meet you too," Aang smiled, "So? Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm not sure…"

"Our village is in crisis!" the old man protested, "He's our only hope!"

The other man nodded.

"For the last few days at sunset," the old man continued, "a spirit comes and attacks our village. He's Hei Bei… The black and white spirit."

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked.

"We do not know," the other man replied. "But each of the last three nights he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the Winter Solstice draws near."

"What does that mean?" I asked cautiously.

"As a solstice approaches," the old man began, "the natural world and the spirit world grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely."

"Hei Bei is already causing devastation and destruction. Once the solstice is here, there is no telling what will happen,' the other man finishes.

"So…what do you want me to do exactly?" Aang asked.

"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the spirit world than the Avatar himself?" the old man asked, smiling at him. "You are the great bridge between man and spirits."

"Right…that's me," Aang wrinkled his nose.

"Hey Great Bridge Guy," Katara said.

Aang turned around.

"Can we talk to you for a second?" I asked for her, motioning with my head where I wanted him to go.

Aang followed Katara and I to a window overlooking the destructed village.

"Sure. Leave me over here alone Salilah," Sokka said after me.

"You'll be fine," I looked back at him and grinned.

"Aang, you seem a little unsure about all of this," Katara gave Aang a sympathetic look.

"Yeah, that might be because I know nothing about the Spirit World," he answered.

Sokka gave me a pointed look. Fine. I nodded him over to us.

The water tribe siblings looked at each other in confusion.

"It's not like there's someone to teach me this stuff!" Aang complained.

They looked at me. "What? I know just as much as he does. Which is nothing."

The brother-sister pair looked at Aang again.

"So, can you help these people?" Katara asked.

"I have to try, don't I?" Aang replied with another question.

"Maybe it'll just come to you, and then we can leave," it was my turn to complain.

Katara furrowed her eyebrows at me.

"What? I'm just saying. The sooner we get to the Northern Water Tribe, the sooner we can leave."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I think you can do it Aang." She smiled at him.

"Yeah… We're all gonna get eaten by a spirit monster," Sokka stated.

"Nice optimism," I nodded at him in mick approval.

"Thank you, thank you. I'm here hopefully all night." He bowed.

I laughed at him.

"You guys don't mind if I talk to Aang alone, do you?" Katara asked us.

"Not at all," I replied, walking out the door with Sokka close behind. "We gotta go find Appa anyway."

Sokka and I walked down the path out of the village.

"Sooooo…?" Sokka started awkwardly once we were a distance away.

"So…?" I replied, just as uncomfortably.

"What did you mean by "the sooner we get to the Northern Water Tribe, the sooner we can leave?" Sokka asked.

"Exactly that?"

"But isn't that your home?"

"Sokka, I don't _have_ a home. I don't belong anywhere. I'm not welcome at that tribe anymore. And even if I was, I don't really want to go back."

"Why not?"

"Can we _not_ talk about this right now?"

Sokka jogged in front of me and stopped, grabbing me by the shoulders tightly and not letting go.

"What's your problem?" I asked him.

"I want to know what's been going on with you. You've been moody for a few days now and I don't know why. Each day we get closer and closer to the Northern Water Tribe, and your mood gets worse and worse. Now tell me what's wrong."

"I'm on my period ok? I tend to get a little temperamental when I'm cramping all day. I'm a fifteen year old girl. It's what we do."

"That's not it. Yeah, you're on your period, because Katara acts the same way when she's on hers, but that isn't all that's bothering you."

"How can you tell?"

"Your right arms shakes the slightest bit when you're lying."

"Which is why you decided to hold my shoulders." Figured that out.

He nodded and folded me in his arms. "I wish you'd let me help you."

"I'm sorry Sokka," I buried my face in his chest.

"I know."

"If I tell you, will you tell me what you were going to say the other day?" I asked after moments of silence of us standing there like that.

"I-uh," he let his arms go of their hold around me. "I forgot." He turned and walked away toward where Appa was.

I lengthened my strides to catch up with his long legs stopped him.

"Now what?" he raised an eyebrow, equally confused and amused.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. For caring." Then it was my turn to face the other way and walk to Appa.

Without a word on the way back, Sokka and I brought Appa back to the village. Both with a flush to our cheeks.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang was walked out of City Hall's doors. Katara, Sokka, and I watched him from the same window we were at before as he walked cautiously down the steps.

"Hello? Spirit? Can you hear me?" he asked to thin air.

"I hope he'll be ok," I said.

Sokka moved his hand gently over mine and gave it a squeeze, "He will."

I flipped my hand over and intertwined our fingers, causing lemurs to fly around in my stomach.

"This is the Avatar speaking," we heard Aang say. "I'm here to try to help stuff."

"This isn't right," Sokka said.

"You're right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up," I add, clutching Sokka's hand until both of our hands turned white with pressure.

"If anyone can save us, he can," the old man appeared behind us.

"He still shouldn't have to face this-this _thing_ alone. I'm his protector! I should be out there!" I gripped Sokka's hand even tighter.

"Ow! Ow! Salilah!" he yanked his hand away.

"I'm sorry…" I hung my head and walked to the opposite part of the building as the sun sank lower until the sky was inky black with the night.

I heard Aang say something about the sun setting, and asking the spirit where it was. And then he firmly asked it to leave the village alone.

My stomach churned in a different way than it had earlier. Something was wrong. Aang was about to be in trouble.

I heard the spirit monster roar at Aang and I jumped up quickly.

Sokka sat me back down. "Stay. Here." He said sternly.

"But I wanna help! It's my duty Sokka!" I yelled at him.

"No! If you go out there and get hurt-" he yelled back.

"What about Aang getting hurt then, huh?" This was an all-out argument. Our first.

"He's the Avatar Salilah! He knows what he's doing! If anyone goes out there, it's going to be me!"

"Why you? This is _my_ job! How am I supposed to learn it if you keep getting in my way?"

"If _I_ keep getting in _your_ way?!"

"That's what I said!"

"Fine," he sneered, "But you _will_ stay here. And that's final Salilah."

He walked outside to help Aang.

"Sokka no!"

I ran to the door, but both Katara and the old man stopped me.

"You heard what Sokka said," Katara said sternly.

"But-"

"He loves you. Don't forget it. If something happens to you, he'll make sure you aren't alone in whatever had been done to hurt you. He wouldn't be able to live with his own grief and see you in any sort of pain."

"But what if I," I paused, my breath caught as I finally realized it, "love him too?"

"Sometimes we have to learn to let the things and people we love go Salilah."

"Not Sokka. That's not flying with me."

"It has to tonight Sal, I'm sorry." Her eyes widened. "Sokka!"

I whipped around. "NO!" I took off running after then, even though I knew I was too slow.

I fell to my knees at the gate and sobbed. "I am so sorry Sokka."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I felt Katara's arms around me.

"Everything will be ok," I heard her say as the sun was rising.

I looked at her. She leaned against the post, and I leaned on her as Appa approached with Momo on his head.

Appa groaned.

"It's ok buddy," I stroked his giant muzzle as he nestled me. "They'll be back.

"Are you saying that for them, or for us?" Katara asked.

I sighed. "Both."

We were silent, sitting there for them to return. "Why am I such an idiot?" I asked Katara.

"You aren't."

"Yes I am. I couldn't see how much Sokka cared about me, I let it slide these past few days and I've been such a bitch."

"Salilah," Katara said gently, "I'm sure Sokka forgives you."

"Why would he? I haven't been the most pleasant person to travel with."

"None of us have. He gets really cranky when he sits a long time being idle too. So do Aang and I."

"But we bicker all the time. And last night was our First Big Fight. What if he doesn't forgive me?"

"He will Salilah. If he loves you as much as I know he does, he _will_ forgive you."

"Thank you Katara."

She nodded. "I'm going to go clean up and get Appa and Momo some water and something to eat. Do you want anything?"

My stomach rumbled. "I guess I could take breakfast."

"Will you be ok here by yourself?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine."

She walked away, leaving me to take her place in leaning my head against the fence post.

I let a few tears slip as I fell asleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Katara woke me up 20 minutes later with a bowl of fruit in her hands. She smelled like clean soap. She was also wearing a new set of clothing. Her brown hair was no longer in its usual braid. It hung loosely around her shoulders and down her back. Her hair loopies weren't present either.

"I figured you needed something to eat more than I needed to get ready," she handed the bowl to me.

"Thank you."

She helped me up and took me to a small hut behind city hall.

"The nice lady who works there runs a spa. You can freshen up there."

I nodded and walked inside.

"Hello dear," the woman smiled.

She looked like the age of someone who could be Katara and I's mother. And she seemed familiar.

"Hello," I replied meekly.

"Come in! Come in!" she smiled brightly. "You don't have to lurk in doorways you know."

I walked a bit farther into the building.

"I'm Sonna."

"Salilah."

"Pleased to meet you dear. Now tell me, is that handsome young water tribe boy your boyfriend?"

"No," I answered as quickly undresses and slipped into the tub of lukewarm water she had drawn for me.

"Then who is?" she raised an eyebrow.

"No one at the moment."

"My my. A beautiful girl as you, and not a man to carry you."

"I don't really need one. I _can_ walk."

"Gorgeous and witty! You'll make a fine one for any man. But can I tell you one thing?"

"Sure."

"The townsfolk call me The Matchmaker. I can see all the relationships and I could tell you where they will go. And now dear, I don't want you getting mad at me, but you two kids may think you have something for each other, but _you_, sweetheart, will find love where you least expect it. And I can tell you, it isn't with Sokka."

"What do you mean?"

"I know things love. Sokka's other half doesn't come from a bender such as yourself."

"How-?" I stepped into the towel she held in front of her and dried myself.

"I told you. I can see the relationships. Now go and change Moonshine. Katara's waiting."

She led me into a dressing room where I found a fresh set of my clothing laying and the table.

"Moonshine…" I thought aloud. The only other person who's called me that was my mother.

Yes, ok. I have a mother. _Had_ is more like it. She died. I don't like talking about her.

I have a dad and an older sister too. My sister was the good child. Why can't you be more like your sister? See what good of an example your sister is setting? Why can't you be like her?

I was tired of it, and so I left.

I ran the brush through my hair and reached down for the silver and blue ribbon I had seen so I could tie my hair up into a bun. Her name was Sonya… Sonna… Sonya was Sonna! My mother!

I held the band in front of my face and gasped as I instantly dropped it. That was my mother's ribbon!

How could I tell? The silver sun and moon threaded into it, over and over in a pattern.

I put it in my hair anyways, feeling joyous that I had something of hers now. But I was also heartbroken. I miss my mom… And that was just her…

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The sun was setting as Katara and I stood on the porch of the City Hall.

I saw something flying toward us.

"Is that-Aang?" I asked Katara.

"It _is_ Aang!" her face brightened.

I still didn't tell her that we both met my mother. And she was a spirit, which was why she was here, because the solstice was soon.

"You're back!" Katara said, rushing to Aang and hugging him tightly. I followed her lead and joined her.

Then I looked around.

"Sokka…?" I asked.

"I don't know where Sokka is…" Aang hung his head in shame.

"No…Sokka…" Katara started to cry.

The sun faded, causing the sky to turn purple until vanishing to black.

Aang walked to the town entrance. "I know what to do now," he said. "You guys wait inside."

"Ok," we replied.

We watched from the window as Aang waited for Hei Bei.

We waited a long time, but when he finally came, Aang knew how to stop it. Hei Bei turned into a panda bear and walked peacefully away, leaving a mess of bamboo behind. Sokka and other townsfolk emerged from it.

"Sokka!" Katara and I ran toward him, hugging him tightly.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You were trapped in the Spirit World for twenty-four hours," I replied.

He looked at me and a grin fell on his face. He took me in his arms and held me close.

Y_ou two kids may think you have something for each other, but _you_, sweetheart, will find love where you least expect it._

"How are you feeling?" Katara asked him.

"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom," Sokka let go of me and ran off to the main building.

"I told you," Katara simply stated before joining Aang and the two men.

I smiled as she left and turned to the bamboo.

"Thanks mom," I said to the woman in white standing there before she walked into the bamboo and they both disappeared.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Thank you Avatar," one of the men told Aang when I joined my three friends by the main house, "If only there were a way to repay you for what you had done."

"You could give us some supplies," Sokka suggested.

"Yeah," I agreed, "We _are_ a little low on food."

"And money," Sokka added.

"Sokka!" Katara scolded him, elbowing his ribs.

"What? We need stuff."

"It would be an honor to help you prepare for your journey." He turned to receive the supplies.

"I'm so proud of you Aang," Katara told Master Arrowhead, "You figured out what to do all on your own."

"Actually, I did have a little help," he replied.

"From who?" I asked.

"Avatar Roku's dragon. He showed me something you all aren't going to like."

"What is it?"

"I need to talk to Roku. And I think I found a way to contact his spirit."

"That's great!" Katara brightened.

"Creepy, but great," Sokka agreed.

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice, I'll be able to speak with him."

"But isn't that tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah. And there's one more problem: the island is in the Fire Nation."

**OoOoOoOoOoOo**

**Thank you all for being so patient with me! I appreciate you all waiting for me to update!**

**I was so excited to update that I had to split this up into two parts because I ran out of time. I was going to make this all one chapter, but I decided not to.**

**I hope you enjoy all of the plot twists! And I also hope that you don't hate me for them too! ;)**

**Happy Reading!**

**-avatarspiriaangkorra**


	9. Avatar Roku

"The Fire Nation," just as simple as that is how I said it.

"That's correct…" Aang had a question to his voice.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's go kick some Honey Buns!"

Aang grinned.

We dispersed to gather our things.

"Come on boy!" Aang was tugging on Appa's reins to get him to move. "Look, I'm sorry, but Sokka and Katara decided not to come to the Fire Nation with us. But Salilah is. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself. So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" He tugged some more.

"Thank you Aang, nice to know you care about me too," I set down a bag of supplies just in case we needed it.

"I care about you too Sal."

"I know."

"Think his big butt it trying to tell you something," Sokka and Katara came from behind the bison.

"Please don't go Aang," Katara said. "The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. And neither can I." Her blue eyes glistened with tears.

I watched Aang think about it.

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means," Aang protested. "I need to get to the fire temple before the sun sets on the solstice."

"That's today Katara," I added, "We gotta split, pronto."

I hopped on Appa after Aang. The bison moved forward before taking off, but was cut off by Katara and Sokka.

"We're not letting you two go into the Fire Nation," Katara stated sternly.

"At least, not without us," Sokka grinned up at me. "We've got your backs."

I smiled back. "Well? What are you waiting for? Let's get this show on the road!"

Appa licked Sokka.

"Ewwwww!" he exclaimed.

"It's a long journey to the crescent island. You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown," a man brought our supplies we had requested. "Good luck."

"Thank you for your-" Aang started.

"Go!"

Jeesh.

Appa ascended into the sky so we could make it to Crescent Island.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We had only left an hour ago, and the sun was starting to rise when I found out I lost my ribbon.

"Guys?" I asked, "Where's my ribbon?"

**Zuko POV**

My soldiers and I waited outside the head of town's house. He finally walked outside.

"Having trouble sleeping?" I sneered, pushing him back inside. "Seen the Avatar lately?"

"Sir!" one of the sentries yelled to me.

"What?!"

"There's something you should see."

"You," a pointing to a random guard, "Interrogate this low-life. I have more important things to handle now."

I walked to where the centurion was standing. In his hands was a beautiful blue ribbon with silver suns and moons on it.

"Sir, I think the Avatar's girlfriend dropped something."

"That isn't the Avatar's girlfriend's ribbon. This ribbon is high class material from the Northern Water Tribe. It has to be the other girl's. The Humanbender."

"I'm glad to hear that you remember your studies Prince Zuko," Uncle Iroh nodded in approval.

"Find her," a woman's voice whispered in my ear.

I turned my head to the side where I heard the lady, but all I saw was a woman in white disappearing into a thicket of bamboo trees. Then they both vanished.

That was strange…

**Salilah POV**

It was noon now as we were headed toward Crescent Island. A long and boring ride across the sea.

Katara, Sokka, and I took turns looking over the edge of Appa's saddle to make sure that there weren't any Fire Nation ships on prowl.

"Come on boy, we got a long way to go," Aang told the fluffy giant. "Faster!"

Appa pressed forward.

**Zuko POV**

I had to find her. But I didn't know why. I told myself it was because I knew she was with the Avatar.

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters…of all the foolish things you have done in your sixteen years Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!" Uncle scolded me.

"I have no choice Uncle." I have to find her for some reason.

"Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you? What if you're caught?"

"I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home." I honestly doubted that, but I was sick of seeing the ocean every day for three years. I wanted a change of scenery.

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type."

I know. Neither is my sister. I looked back through my telescope to try and find the Avatar's bison.

**Salilah POV**

"Hey Aang? I think Zuko decided to join the party!" I yelled to the boy.

"And he's gaining fast!" Sokka added.

"Uh… I didn't want fireballs for lunch Aang. You may wanna watch out!" I yelled as a fireball zoomed past us.

"We have to get out of Zuko's range, before he shoots another hot stinker at us!" Katara yelled.

I sneezed from the pungent smell.

"Can't you make Appa go any faster?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. But there's just one little problem," Aang replied.

"Oh joy. What else could possibly be in our way…?" I groaned.

"A blockade…" Katara replied.

Hundreds of Fire Nation Naval ships were in our way. We would get blown up and Zuko's ship would crash. Killing the six of us, including Zuko and Iroh, and Zuko's crew.

Why was I worried about Zuko?

"If we fly north we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade," Aang thought aloud, "It's the only way."

"There's no time!" I told him.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you guys coming Katara! It's too dangerous!"

"That's exactly why we came!" she protested.

"Let's run this blockade!" Sokka said.

"I agree!" I nodded to Aang.

"Appa! Yip yip!" Aang told him.

"Oh shit, oh shit!" I said as thousands of fireballs came toward us. "Stupid Zhao! Stupid Fire Nation!"

We barely dodged some of them. One of them exploded with another one on impact and got flaming soot on Appa's coat.

We all tried to pet it down to the best of our abilities.

Appa groaned as Aang asked him if he was ok.

"I wish we would've just gone under the blockade," I said as it was almost cleared.

"Why didn't we think of that?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah. You have three waterbenders. We could've made a bubble for us all to breathe under water."

Instead, we flew higher, barely missing the fireballs up there too.

Two exploded again. And Sokka fell off.

"SOKKA!" I screamed.

Aang turned Appa around toward the ocean and caught him right before he hit the water.

We rushed across the water, back farther from the blockade then before because we had turned around.

There was a fireball coming straight at us. Aang started to get up, but I beat him to it, using airbending and waterbending to deflect the stink bomb.

I fell back onto Appa and we cleared the blockade.

"We got into the Fire Nation… Great…" I turned to see Sokka and Katara's faces slightly green.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We flew for almost another six hours before actually seeing Crescent Island.

"There it is!" Aang said excitedly, "That's the island where Roku's dragon took me!"

"Finally. Took us long enough," I stated.

Aang set down Appa.

I climbed as quickly as I could and started stretching my aching muscles out.

"You must be tired," Katara patted the bison's stomach.

"Nope. I'm energized and ready to kick some firebender butts," Sokka replied.

"I was talking to Appa."

"Well I was talking to…Momo."

"Can we go now?" I asked Aang.

He nodded and we made our way up to the temple.

"I don't see any guards," Sokka observed.

"The Fire Nation must have left the temple when Avatar Roku died," Katara added.

"Not likely," I stated.

"Hurry! It's almost sundown," Aang said, running to the door.

The entryway was empty as we approached it.

I stopped.

"What?" Sokka whispered.

"I think I heard something," I replied.

"We are the Fire Sages, guardians of the temple of the Avatar," an old mad said, other men joining him.

"Great. I _am_ the Avatar," Aang said.

"We know," the man said angrily, blasting fire at us.

Aang deflected the shot with his airbending.

"I'll hold them off!" he yelled at us, "Run!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" I said, turning and running with Katara and Sokka close behind me.

"Which way?" Sokka asked, pointing to the different corridors.

"This way!" I heard Aang say from behind us as he zoomed past us.

I followed him.

"I sure hope you know where you're going Aang," I said to him.

"No clue," he replied taking another left turn.

He suddenly turned around, "Wrong way!"

"Come back!" the fire sage called after us.

"Make a right Aang!" I yelled to the young airbender as I spotted another hallway.

"It's a dead end!" Aang exclaimed.

The fire sage cornered us.

"I don't want to fight you," he told us.

"Right," I simply stated.

"I am a friend."

"Firebenders aren't our friends," Sokka said to him.

We all took a fighting stance. The sage knelt before Aang.

"I know why you're here. You need to speak to Avatar Roku," the sage said.

He got back up and we all relaxed.

"I can take you to him."

"How?" Aang cautioned.

The sage moved one of the lanterns on the wall and used firebending in the little hole that made the wall turn into a door that curved into a set of stairs.

"This way," the sage led us down the stairway.

"Find him," we heard the other fire sage we had met earlier say.

"Time is running out. Quickly."

We hurried down the staircase.

The door shut behind us.

"Avatar Roku once called this his home. He formed these secret passages out of the magma."

"Did you know Avatar Roku?" Aang asked.

"No. But my grandfather knew him. Many generations of fire sages guarded this temple long before me. We all have a long spiritual connection to this place."

"So is that how you knew we were coming?" I asked.

"A few weeks ago, an amazing thing occurred. The statue of Avatar Roku, its eye began to glow."

"That's freaky."

"That's when we were at the air temple," Katara realized.

"His eyes were glowing there too."

"At that moment," the sage continued, "we knew you had returned to the world."

"If this is the Avatar's temple, why did the sages attack me?" Aang asked.

"Things have changed."

"Fire Lord Sozin came to power…" I said.

"In the past the sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the sages eagerly waited for the next Avatar to return, but he never came."

"They were waiting for me…" Aang trailed.

Sokka walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Hey don't feel bad, you're only a hundred years late."

"Nice Sokka," I rolled my eyes.

"They lost hope the Avatar would ever return," the sage continued. "When Fire Lord Sozin started the war, my grandfather and the other sages were forced to follow him. I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other sages."

"Thank you for helping me," Aang showed his appreciation.

The sage smiled.

"So how much further?" I asked.

"Not far now," the sage replied.

"By the way, what's your name?" Katara asked.

"I am Shiyu."

We walked a bit farther.

"You will follow these stairs to the sanctuary. Once you're inside, wait for the light to hit Avatar Roku's statue. Only then will you be able to speak with him."

Shiyu moved a trap door and led us into the sanctuary room.

Shiyu gasped. "No!"

"Lemme guess, the doors are locked and they're never locked?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"Can't you use firebending like you did with that other door?" Katara asked.

"No. Only a fully realized Avatar is capable of opening this door alone. Otherwise, the sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts."

I watched Sokka think. "Ok genius, let it out."

"I think I can help you out," I could see the light flare up in his head.

He got some bags and lamp oil.

"This is a little trick I picked up from my father," he said. "I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing. Shiyu lights the oil soaked twine and tada! Fake firebending."

"You are a genius Sokka," I high-fived him.

"You've really outdone yourself this time Sokka," Katara approved.

"This might actually work," Shiyu nodded.

I helped Sokka place all of the bags in the holes.

"The sages will hear the explosion, so once they go off, you rush in."

"It's almost sunset," I said to Aang, "You ready?"

"Definitely."

Shiyu lit the cords and rushed to hide with Aang.

The explosion sounded and Aang went to rush in. But the door didn't open. He pulled on the door handle, but it didn't budge.

"It's still locked!"

Shiyu sighed.

"Wait a second!" I brightened. "It looks like it opened right?" I wiped some soot from the door on with my fingertips."

"And?" Aang asked.

"Maybe we could fit Momo into the other side to make it look like you're in there!"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Sokka asked.

"Who's the genius now?" Katara teased her brother.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Come quickly! The Avatar has entered the sanctuary!" we heard Shiyu say as we hid, waiting for the door to be opened so Aang could go in.

"How did he get in?" one asked.

"I don't know. But look at the scorch marks. And down there."

"He's inside! Open the doors immediately! Before he contacts Avatar Roku!"

I heard the creaking of the door unlocking and opening of the door.

Once it did, everyone ran to hold the sages down.

But I felt an arm pull on the back of my arm. I whipped my head around.

"Zuko!" I widened my eyes.

In his other arms was the Avatar.

"They're coming with me!" Zuko told the others.

"I don't think so Princey!" I said, struggling to get away. But I couldn't.

The sages my friends and Shiyu were holding down squirmed out from underneath them and held them down. Momo flew away.

"Close the doors!" Zuko yelled to some of the other sages in the room, "Quickly!"

He led us down the secret staircase.

Aang wrestled out of Zuko's grip and ran toward the door, knocking both Zuko and I down the stairs.

"Sorry Sal!" Aang apologized.

Yeah. Whatever.

Zuko accidentally pulled my hair.

He groaned and sat up, holding his head.

"Hey Zuko," I said.

He turned to me. I reached out and yanked his ponytail as hard as I could.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Paybacks buddy. Not only did you try to capture me, but you pulled my hair doing it." I spotted something familiarly blue sticking out of his sleeve.

"My ribbon!" I exclaimed.

"Oh yes…" his face became sinister, "I guess it _is_ yours after all, isn't it? Well, I don't think you'll be getting it back anytime soon.

"Wanna bet?" I asked right before a Fire Nation Naval Crew Member snatched the both of us and tied us to a pole. "Hey! What's the meaning of this?"

Zhao came out of the shadows.

"Never mind. I get it now. Not surprising."

"Typical water tribe girl…" Zuko muttered and shook his head.

"Excuse me you typical Fire Nation asshole?"

"Quiet!" Zhao snapped. "Both of you!"

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"I suggest you end that vulgar act you're doing little water tribe peasant, before I burn you from the inside of your mouth out!"

I instantly stopped, terrified. No. _Petrified_.

But I noticed that Aang had made it inside.

"Oh, and Zuko, great effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work-" Zhao started before I cut him off.

"Really now? A smokescreen? Is that all you got up there Zuko? I actually thought you were smarter than that dude. But ok. Let me down. Less work I have to do to-" Zhao seized my throat.

"Shut. Up. I don't think the Fire Lord would mind if I killed _you_. He wouldn't have to worry about you coming back. The Fire Lord in a hundred years would."

"Let her go Zhao," Zuko spoke up.

Zhao smirked and released me. "My my. Won't the Fire Lord be surprised at this? His own son standing up for the enemy. And not just any enemy, the Humanbender. Who just happens to be-"

"You're wasting our time Zhao," the older Fire Sage said.

"No matter. Sooner or later the Avatar has to come out of his hiding, and then we can all be through here and leave with what we want."

I doubt that.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

**Zuko POV**

I looked over at the girl. A small piece of hair was coming loose out of her top knot. She had red marks in the shape of Zhao's fingers on her neck where he had grabbed her. It made everything inside of me flame with anger knowing that he had hurt, yet, another person.

Her head was hung down, and her eyes were closed. I wonder what color they are.

Salilah. What a beautiful name for a beautiful Water Tribe girl. If she's a peasant, I think they misplaced her into the wrong home. She should be a princess if she isn't already. She's much more attractive than any Fire Nation girl I've met in my entire life.

Wait. What?

Zuko, get over yourself. You are the Crown Prince to the Fire Nation. She may turn out to be the Water Tribe Princess, but she'll be nothing more than a peasant to the Fire Nation. Your father would never approve.

But she's so different than the other girls. She's sharp-tongued and extremely witty. She isn't afraid to tell a person how things are and the way things should be taken care of. I know she's well educated, more than most Fire Nation scholars, and she's absolutely gorgeous. I can't think these types of feelings for a girl like her that I don't even deserve…

She opened her eyes and looked at me, raising an eyebrow. Brown. Like chocolate. An uncommon shade of eye color. Rarely found. And striking. It's like she's looking deep into my soul, trying to figure my entire life out, piece by piece, until she has it right down to my core. They're piercing.

"What?" she asks in her sweet voice.

I shrug and shake my head.

"Oooooook?" she has a giggle to her comment. A melodic sound that indicates she laughs often.

I tried to get the ribbon from the sleeve of my shirt. When I finally have it, I motion to it with my head. She looks down and her eyes widen with happiness. The other Fire Nationers are too preoccupied to notice what's going on.

She takes it from my fingers and slips it into the waistband of her sash.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I nod, unable to speak.

**Salilah POV**

"When those doors open," Zhao said, "Unleash all your fire power!"

"Like that'll work…" I muttered.

Zuko chuckled.

"You know Zuko," I say, "you are one tough riddle to crack. It's like there're two different Zukos in there. I can't help wondering every encounter which one I'll meet. Sometimes you're mean, angry, hotheaded Zuko. And other times I catch a glimpse of nicer, playful, regular teenage guy Zuko. There any more of you in there?" I was joking, and I made sure Zhao and the others couldn't hear.

He rolled his eyes (told you. Teenage guy Zuko.) and snickered some more. "You may be surprised.

He looked at me. Gold to Brown. I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to find something in there. I knew there was a soul in there. I just have to find it first.

I looked away and furrowed my eyebrows, thinking of a plan to get out of her. Too bad I can't firebend. I could just melt the chains.

My thinking stopped there, for there was blue mist and a great blue light that shone from the opening sanctuary doors. I turned my head and squinted my eyes to stop the light from blinding me.

"Ready…" Zhao cautioned, "Aim… Fire!" He and his crew shot fire at Aang. But it wasn't Aang! There before me was Avatar Roku, fending off the firebenders.

Roku redirected the fire to the firebenders and they ran off. I braced myself because it was coming towards me, but it only disintegrated the chains, setting both Zuko and I free.

I ran to Katara and Sokka.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple!" Shiyu told us.

"What do we do?" I asked.

"You have to get out of here!"

"But what about Aang?"

Roku spilt part of the floor in half, using his bending to make the magma rise.

"Shit just got real…"

The lava exploded out of the top of the temple. Sokka held both Katara and I close, shielding our heads from anything that could fall and hurt us.

Roku turned back into Aang as the Solstice was completed. He started to fall and I rushed to catch him; and I did, right before he hit the ground.

"We got your back," Sokka said.

"Thanks," Aang breathed heavily. "Where's Shiyu?"

"I don't know," Katara answered him.

The stairs we had come up were blocked with lava, so we had no escape.

"Aang!" I whined at him.

"_Soooory_ Salilah. I could have just left you all here to face the wrath of the Fire Nation while you were helpless."

"_Yeeeaaahhh_… Thanks buddy."

We ran to an opening in the wall that overlooked the ocean.

"Please don't say jump," I told Sokka as I watched him open his mouth to say something.

"Is there any other way?" he asked me, in full panic mode.

I spotted our ride and pointed, "Apparently."

We all jumped on Appa's back as he approached us. Appa flew off with a groan.

"We…are…never…doing…that…again…" I said, breathing heavily between each word.

Aang nodded at me.

"And you, _Avatar_, really need to learn to not make it so hard for me to protect you."

Aang laughed, and the rest of us joined him.

It was nightfall by then; a full moon in the sky. I let a small tear escape as I thought of my home I had left behind when I looked up at it…

**OoOoOoOoOoOo**

**He he he.**

**I know what you're all thinking...**

**Actually, no I don't. But I would like to! So please please _please_ review!**

**So now we know from reading these two chapters that Salilah actually _does_ have a family, which I know you all are guessing whose family is is right about now, and there was some Sokka/Salilah action in the first part. But, apparently Sonya's changed her sweet daughter's mind, because we have some Zuko/Salilah going on too. But will Zuko, who has obviously got it pretty bad for our heroine, get his dream girl?**

**Find out in the next "episode" of Salilah's Story!**

**Happy Reading!**

**-avatarspiriaangkorra**


	10. The Waterbending Scroll

_**Previously…on Salilah's Story…**_

"_The townsfolk call me The Matchmaker. I can see all the relationships and tell you where they will go. And now dear, I don't want you getting mad at me, but you two kids may think you have something for each other, but _you_, sweetheart, will find love where you least expect it. Sokka's other half doesn't come from a bender such as yourself."_

_**OoOoOoOoOoOo**_

_Sonya was Sonna! My mother!_

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Aang paced around the bison frantically.

"Would you sit down?" Sokka asked, agitated. "If we hit a bump, you'll go flying off."

"Aang, sit. Please," I begged him.

"What's bugging you anyway Aang?"

"It's what Avatar Roku said," Aang answered. "I'm supposed to master all the elements before that comet arrives!"

"Aang, Roku told you that _yesterday_. We have until the summer, which is in another six months mind you, so I think we'll have enough time for you to master all of the elements," I rolled my eyes at him.

"Yeah. She's right. It only took you 112 years to master airbending. I'm sure you can master three other elements by this summer," Sokka teased.

"Hey now. Now you're worrying him."

"I was only kidding."

"I haven't even _started_ waterbending, and we're _weeks_ away from the North Pole! What am I gonna do?!" Aang started ranting.

"First order of business it that you _calm down_," I grabbed his shoulders and sat him down by me. "Secondly, _stop worrying_! It's only going to make matters worse, ok?"

"Salilah's right. And if you want, I can teach you guys some of the stuff I know," Katara added.

"You'd do that?" Aang asked.

"We'll need to find a good source of water first."

"Maybe we can find a puddle for you guys to splash in," Sokka grinned devilishly.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Nice puddle," Sokka frowned as we stood in front of a rushing waterfall.

"This is going to be epic…" I looked in awe at it.

Appa flopped in the water and made a splash that soaked Momo.

I giggled.

"You're lucky," Sokka told me.

"Why for?"

"You can bend."

"Nah."

"Hey Salilah! It's waterbending time!" Aang called out to me cheerily.

"Great. What am I supposed to do?" Sokka asks sarcastically.

"You could…" Aang looked around and spotted a branch, "clean the gunk out of Appa's toes." He handed the stick to Sokka.

Sokka didn't grab the stick. Instead, he crossed his arms and frowned. "So while you guys are playing in the water, I'm supposed to be hard at work picking mud out of a giant bison's feet?"

"Mud and bugs!"

"Ok." He took the stick.

Aang and I walked over to Katara.

"This first one is a pretty basic move, but it still took me months to perfect," Katara told us before we started our lesson. "So don't get frustrated if you don't get it right away." She moved her hands back and forth, bending the water. "Just push and pull the water like this. The key is getting the wrist movement."

Aang and I both tried it.

"Good Salilah," Katara told me as I slowly started to bend the water.

"Like this?" Aang asked our teacher. He wasn't bending anything yet.

"That's almost right Aang. If you keep practicing I'm sure eventually-"

Aang cut her off. "Hey, I'm bending it already!" His waves were much bigger than Katara and I's.

I frowned and stopped bending. Why is it so easy for an airbender, but it's fairly difficult for a natural-born waterbender?

"Wow, I can't believe you got that so quickly," Katara told Aang, dumbfounded, "It took me two months to learn that move."

Aang shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you had to figure it all on your own. I'm lucky enough to have a great teacher."

Katara smiled. "Thanks."

"So what's next?" I asked Katara, hoping it would be something I was good at.

"This is a more difficult move," she told us, "I call it streaming the water." She moved her hands and raised a stream of the river water into the air and moved it around. "It's harder than it looks, so don't be disappointed if-"

She was cut off once again by Aang who was flawlessly bending the water into perfect streams and cockily winding it back into the river.

"Nice work…" Katara told him in shock.

"But the over-the-head flare was unnecessary…" I scowled and walked away. "Sokka must be lonely. Bye guys. Have fun splashing." I left them there, not even letting them ask anything of me, and headed to Sokka.

"I thought you guys were playing with magic water," Sokka simply said as I sat down next to him on a rock.

Appa groaned happily as Sokka picked the mud and bugs out of Appa's six feet.

"Yeah, don't get too happy," Sokka told the bison, "You've got to do _me_ next." Appa moaned happily once more.

I laughed.

"So are you going to tell me?" Sokka looked at me.

"Oh…well…you see…"

"It's hard for you, isn't it?"

"Yeah… I don't know why I just can't get it already. I'm a waterbender who can't waterbend! Airbending was easier than this shit! And I'm not even a flipping natural airbender!" I put my face in my hands.

I felt Sokka's hand on my shoulder. "Salilah?"

I shook my head.

"Let's talk about it."

"Why?" My voice was muffled.

"Because you aren't you when you're upset."

I spread my fingers apart and looked at him. "I still feel like me," I said, trying to keep from smiling.

He laughed. "And there would be the Salilah I missed."

I laughed too and a huge wave splashed on top of us. I surfaced and glared at Aang as Sokka's popped up above the water too. He looked annoyed as he spit excess water out his mouth.

"Looks like I got the hang of that move! What else do you got?" Aang said to Katara excitedly.

"That's enough practice for today," she snapped at him, anger present on her features.

"Yeah! I'll say!" Sokka agreed with his sister, "You just "practiced" our supplies down the river." He motioned to some of the bags floating down the river.

I looked at the bank and saw that my bag and the bag for the sleeping equipment were still there. We had just lost food and other supplies to survive in the wilderness. We kept our small amount of money in my bag thankfully.

Aang looked guilty as he watched the bags float away. "Uh…sorry. I'm sure we can find somewhere to replace all this stuff…" he smiled half-heartedly.

"My life was hard enough when you were just an airbender…" Sokka sank back under water, dragging me with him before we both resurfaced, laughed, and dried to leave for a hopeful nearby market.

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"We have exactly three copper pieces left of the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely," Sokka told us as we walked around the streets of a city market.

"Agreed. Good food that's low priced and extra supplies if we have enough money," I added.

"Actually guys, make that two copper pieces. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" He pulled out a whistle that looked like a bison and blew into it, but it didn't make a sound.

"Aang? Are you sure that it even works?" I took it from him as Momo screeched and ran on top of Aang's head.

"See?" Sokka said, "Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"No offense Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on…" Katara held out here hand and Aang put the money in her palm.

"I still don't remember what happened to "the money stays in Salilah's bag…" I said to no one in particular.

We walked by a dock with a weird looking boat and a man out front waving his arms and yelling. We didn't get far before he was yelling at us.

"Oh! You there!" he said to us, "I can see from your clothing that you're world-traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you into some exotic curios?"

Aang stopped immediately and brightly told him, "Sure! What are curios?"

The man furrowed his brows confusingly and thought about it. "I'm not entirely sure. But we got 'em!" He put his hand on Aang's shoulder and led him inside the ship.

"You remember what I said about never getting to the North Pole?" I muttered to Sokka.

"Totally agreeing," he whispered back.

"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur," a dark silhouette said. He walked into the light with an iguana parrot on his shoulder, "That beast would fetch me a hefty sum if you'd be interested in bartering."

"Momo's not for sale," Aang tersely stated.

Katara had found a waterbending scroll and beckoned Aang and I over to her.

I inspected the crest on the end of the scroll. "Northern Water Tribe…" I said breathlessly.

"Where did you get a waterbending scroll?" Aang asked the captain (or what I would assume.)

The man yanked the scroll out of Katara's hands and said: "Let's just say I got it up North…at a most _reasonable_ price. Free."

"The Northern Water Tribe doesn't give waterbending scrolls out for free to just anybody. You have to be a true master to get a set…" I stated, confused.

"Wait a minute…" Sokka looked around the boat. "Sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise, and a pet reptile bird?" His yelled in the assumed captain's face: "You guys are pirates!"

The first guy slid his arm around Sokka's shoulders. "We prefer to think of ourselves as "high risk traders."

Sokka shrugged out of his hold as Aang and Katara tried to bargain with the captain.

"I don't like this place…" he whispered to me.

"Yeah no kidding. It has the stench of bad-guys and thieves in here…" I leaned into him and said.

He pulled me over to the boomerang collection.

I laughed. "Wow. I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice that this was where they were."

Just as soon as we started browsing, we were told we had to leave.

"What was that all about Katara?" Aang asked her as we walked away from the ship.

"Yeah, we were just starting to browse through their boomerang collection," Sokka added.

"You were Sok; not me…" I playfully punched his arm.

"I'll just feel a lot better once we get away from here…" she held her arms against her body and I realized that she never really answered our question.

"Hey you!" we turned to see the first pirate running after us. He looked mad. "Get back here!" More pirates, armed and furious, were following.

What the hell did she do?!

"Well, well," Aang said fairly calm, "Look who's come to their senses. Told you the haggling would pay off Katara."

"Aang… I don't think they want to trade with us…" I turned and ran along with my friends.

We ran through the streets of the city market, wreaking havoc wherever we went, just as usual.

Aang opened his glider and grabbed Katara and Sokka as Sokka grabbed me and we swooped toward the pirates.

"Aang! I thought we were running _away_ from the pirates!" Katara yelled.

"Sokka," I said in a strained voice.

He looked at me.

"Don't come back for me. I'll find you guys. And tell Katara good job on stealing the scroll for the people who really deserve it."

I let go of him and into the waiting arms of the temporary enemy.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I was led back to the ship by the armed pirates.

"We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with. But somehow we managed to end up with this smart mouth." The first pirate squeezed my small, bony wrists in fury. "Might as well sell her or rent her out as a sex slave."

I widened my eyes in horror.

"I don't think that that would be any way to treat a lady…" I heard a familiar voice say behind me.

I turned to see Zuko and his uncle standing there; the old war general with various artifacts in his arms.

"475 gold pieces if you'll buy me," I locked eyes with the prince.

I need you to save me. I can take you out single-handedly and escape. Just buy me now and I'm practically free.

"There have been a lot of things I've done in my life, but buying another human with never be one of them," Zuko replied.

Shit.

"I don't think I'd let you take her tonight anyway," the captain said.

"Yeah," the pirate holding me captive further commented, "We might have to test her out first." He got so far in my face I could smell his pungent breath. I gagged.

"What exactly did her little group do?" Zuko looked like he was itching for a fight.

"They stole a waterbending scroll from us," the captain answered crossly.

"I'll make you a deal."

"I'm listening…"

"You give me the girl and I'll help you get your scroll back."

The two pirates looked at each other and nodded to the other.

"Deal," the captain said.

"The girl. Now," Zuko snapped sharply at the other one.

He practically threw me to Zuko.

"We leave now," the captain said as Zuko helped me stand straight before I fell on my butt.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I was led onto Zuko's ship not as a prisoner, but as a guest as Iroh put it. I loved being a girl. It meant special treatment, even if I was the enemy.

I stayed on the upper deck, unsure of where I should go.

Iroh had gone inside to put away his treasures he bought and Zuko had went to tell the helmsman the new orders. I felt relief when I saw him walk out of the ship and onto the deck toward me as the ship started to move.

"We'll be sailing to the river for a few hours before deploying the river boat to search for the scroll and your friends. We would have been there in less than ten minutes if we didn't have to wait for their stupid ship," Zuko told me as he approached.

I nodded. "I have a weird question."

"What is it?" he seemed annoyed that he had to talk to me.

"The whole crew is male, isn't it?"

"Yes. Why?"

"What's the youngest age on this boat other than our own?"

"Twenty-seven. Why?"

"I was wondering. I didn't want to be taken advantage of."

"I was raised in a very good home with a good mother with whom I was close with. I know better than to treat a lady with disrespect."

"Which is why you apologized that one day taking me to that base where you all were building that statue of Fire Lord Ozai."

"I try to be decent to women."

"And you surprisingly do a fairly good job at it even though you try to kill us every day."

"I don't try to kill you every day. I need you and the Avatar alive. But thank you."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

He rolled his eyes. "Not only did I have a mother to teach me proper etiquette, but my uncle does almost every day. Are you hungry?"

My stomach rumbled. We didn't eat breakfast and we were going to eat lunch after we had gone shopping for extra supplies. "Yes. Very."

He led me to the dining hall of the ship.

"Cook!" Zuko yelled into the kitchen. "Food needs to be prepared now!"

"So you may treat women with a sufficient amount of civility, but you have some work to do with men," I told him, raising my eyebrow once more and crossing my arms as I sat down. "Except for Zhao of course. He deserves no respect. He isn't honorable enough to be worthy of such treatment."

Zuko looked at me strangely as his uncle walked in.

"What?" I asked as Iroh and his nephew both sat down.

I didn't receive a reply.

"Do you know how to play Pai Sho?" Iroh asked me.

"_No_ Uncle. Not everyone knows how to play. And it's a silly game," Zuko rolled his eyes at the old man.

"Pai Sho is more than just a game Zuko," I gave him a smirk.

"Excellent." Iroh set up the Pai Sho. "The guest has the first move."

I looked closely at the tiles and noticed there was one missing. "You're missing a white lotus tile."

"Good eye. I lost it and noticed this morning. Do you favor it?"

"Yes. Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"But those who do can always find a friend."

I looked up in shock. Master Pakku had said those words to my father when they played Pai Sho. I had watched them countless times. They didn't even try to beat one another on the rare occasions when they played. They made some sort of pattern, but I could never figure out what it was. I had learned to play from a sentry named Hanno.

I took the leather cord off from around my neck. On it was my prized white lotus gambit Hanno had given me. I placed it where Pakku does when he plays Pai Sho.

Iroh and I moved our select pieces. Zuko's golden eyes followed our moves quickly like a hawk.

I kept placing my pieces in the spots where Pakku would, or where I thought he would.

Finally, we were through with the game as food and tea was served on the table. I looked at the shape we had made. A white lotus. "The White Lotus opens up to those who know her secrets…" I muttered softly under my breath.

I could see Iroh's face through peripheral vision. He looked rather pleased.

I took my necklace off the table and put it back on my neck and started to eat what had been prepared. I took a sip of the tea.

"Mmmmmm… Jasmine… My favorite…" I smiled with pleasure.

Iroh grinned. "She is a tea lover. It makes me like you even more Miss Salilah."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Only half an hour had passed since we had left. I was on the deck, practicing my failed waterbending. I got yet another form wrong.

"Why. Won't. This. Work?!" With each word, I furiously punched the air and airbent.

"You are just as impatient as my nephew," I heard Iroh say behind me. He was still calmly drinking a cup of tea.

"Well, when you're natural element is difficult to get the hang of, it's kind of hard to actually _be patient_," I snapped.

I instantly regretted it.

"I am so very sorry General Iroh," I bowed to him Fire Nation-style.

"You must be a child of the Upper Class if you know the cultures of other lands." He bowed back to me, Northern Water Tribe-style.

"I guess…?"

"Are you?"

I shrugged, not really wanting to answer his question.

"All forms of bending require patience. Water is the element of change. I want you to feel yourself change inside and move with the water as you bend it." Iroh gestured to the pot of water I had the servants bring out.

I took a deep breath in and out and relaxed my body. Slowly, I bent the water out around me and tried the water streaming move Katara had taught us. I calmly bent the water back into the pot and did the weird but comforting move Aang does when he's done bending.

Iroh nodded in approval. "Well done. Patience is the key to every element. Once you have mastered the art, you are halfway there to mastering the element."

"You're wise for the enemy," I bluntly blurted out.

Iroh laughed jollily and his belly shook. **(Sounds like Santa Clause. Lol)**

"And you listen very well from your elders who wish to teach you. It has been my honor to stand in the presence of a future master of the elements." Iroh bowed to me again and I bowed back.

"I don't know what definition of hurry the pirates know, but I don't think that it's my definition of the same word," Zuko said angrily as he stormed out on deck.

"I don't know if I should say sorry or not," I looked at Iroh questioningly.

He shrugged and went back in the ship for another pot of tea.

"I see you made friends with my uncle," Zuko raised his lone eyebrow at me.

"I guess so…" I shrugged. "I don't know what I did."

"If you know how to play Pai Sho and enjoy playing it as well as love drinking tea, he likes just about anyone."

I laughed. "Thank you by the way Zuko. If it weren't for you and your uncle, I would be a slave."

"There is only so much inhumane cruelty I can tolerate at one time."

"You _will_ let me go, right?"

"I haven't decided. I need you and the Avatar to go home. But if Uncle has it his way, you'll "escape" and the hunt will continue."

We sat down at Iroh's table in silence. I felt better knowing Zuko was here with me. It made me feel more comfortable to be here with someone I "knew."

**Zuko POV**

I didn't mind that it took a long time for Uncle to get back from getting a refill on his tea. But just sitting here with the girl was making me nervous. I felt as if I should say something to her, but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

The more time that I spent with her, the more agitated that I became. I had no idea what I should say to her.

How are you? Too stupid.

What do you do for fun? _Really_ stupid.

How about this weather we're having? Really, _really_ stupid.

I was glad that Uncle came back.

**Salilah POV**

This is weird. Like, _extremely_ weird.

What do you say to the guy who's tried to kill you in the past? What do you say to the guy who prevented you from becoming a slave? What do you say to the guy who _might_ spare your life?

I wasn't lying when I had said that it made me feel better that he was here with me instead of me being alone, but I was _very_ thankful when Iroh came back from getting more tea.

He looked at each one of us and let out a small sigh. "Prince Zuko," Zuko's head snapped in his uncle's direction, "Why don't you practice your forms?" He asked it as a question, but it was more of a demand than anything.

Zuko groaned but got up anyway.

I watched Zuko bend intently, picking up on the way he stood before he did something.

"You step before you punch," I blurted once again.

"What?" he raised his eyebrow and gave me a confused look.

I stood up and walked over to him. "Before you punch you always step." I demonstrated for him. "It makes it obvious. If you jazz it up a bit and somewhat fake out your opponents, then you can win every time."

"Do you realize that you're helping your greatest enemy?"

"You, my dear prince, are not my greatest enemy."

He looked at me in a slightly angry manner.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like, all mean like."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"_Yes_. _You_. _Are_." I stressed each word.

"I still don't know what you're talking about!"

"Go look in a mirror!"

"Uncle!" he whined.

"You are staring at the poor girl enough to make anyone uncomfortable with your dreadful antagonism," Iroh sipped his tea.

"See?" I smirked at him.

He rolled his eyes and went back to bending.

"Your form is sloppy." You've _got_ to be kidding me. My face fell in my hand.

He groaned again. "Why don't you show me, oh wise firebender?"

"Get into the first form and I will, oh wise smart ass."

He rolled his eyes again and did what I had told him to anyway. I circled his body, inspecting for any flaws in his form.

"There," I said, pointing to his lower back. "You're slumping."

He straightened his back.

"Now bend."

He did.

"Good Prince Zuko," Iroh complimented him.

"Thank you Uncle," Zuko bowed to him.

I mimicked the form Zuko was in. "It's important for all forms of bending to have a perfect posture. If your stance is lazy, then your bending will also inevitably be sloppy as well."

"You speak like you've been bending for a thousand years."

"I know that you know that I haven't been, but I've just grown up watching the masters in the Northern Water Tribe teach waterbending, so I picked up on technique. And it also helps having the Avatar as one of your best friends." I shrugged.

"What's it like in the Northern Water Tribe?"

"Cold. _Very very _cold."

"Other than the climate," he rolled his eyes and gave me a pointed look.

"Traditional, and immensely cultured."

"It sounds like the Fire Nation."

"In all honesty, I don't think that the four nations are all that different. They just have different forms of bending and different climates of course. But they all have one thing in common: culture and tradition."

"But aren't they different traditions though?"

"Do people in the Fire Nation gather around the table as a family at holidays and other various occasions to get together and be thankful that they have one another?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

He shrugged and went back to working on his forms.

"It's ok," I said after a few beats. "I wasn't exactly the kind of person you always wanted around at the Northern Water Tribe. I've never told anyone this, well, one person, but I always felt like I never belonged when I was there. It wasn't just because I looked different, it was because I also _acted_ differently than they did too. I didn't think the way they did. I didn't want to stay there the rest of my life and get engaged at fifteen to be married at sixteen. I wanted to see the world. I guess you could say that I had a rebellious streak to me, and that I was a trouble maker, but to be honest, I usually kept to myself. I've never had an _actual_ friend before Katara, Sokka, and Aang. I never had a reason to before. Things were always hard for me. Not only because of _who_ I was in the north, but because of _what_ I was too. They don't believe that women should bend for fighting. They think that it should be used for healing only. And I didn't like that…"

"Is that why you left?" Zuko asked me. I turned my head to him to see him already looking at me. I was so lost in my reminiscing that I had completely forgotten to whom I was talking to.

"Partially," I admitted.

"What other reason was there that made you leave?"

"I…don't want to talk about it…" I turned away from both of the Fire Nation natives' eyesight as I felt fresh tears sting my eyes. "Where's your powder room?" I asked in a strained voice. I hung my head as Zuko took me there.

I quickly entered as soon as we got there and shut the door almost instantly. Just about immediately, I started bawling my eyes out as I slid my back down the cold metal door and sank to the floor. I sat there for a few minutes, crying, and slowly stood back up. I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like I'd gone through hell and back. I sniffled and tried to make my face look presentable by splashing water on it. The last thing I wanted was questions. After my mother died, all anyone ever did was try to pry things out of me about how she died, and what exactly I had to do with it…

I used my ribbon to pull my hair away from my face and into a ponytail. It was a bad ponytail, and it didn't do a very good job of concealing my face, but I didn't want to have to mess with it. And if the rest of me already looked bad, my hair could too.

I walked out and headed back on deck, slowly going into a handstand as Zuko practiced more. It pained the muscles in my arms to do this, but I have a slight infatuation with pain. I know that sounds bad, but at least I don't have suicidal thoughts.

I did a front walk-over out of it and took a deep breath, settling down on the floor and started to meditate.

"I realize that it's rude to interrupt someone whilst they are meditating, but is everything alright Miss Salilah?" Iroh asked me.

I sighed in relief because I had finally calmed myself down enough to actually speak. "Yeah… I think so…"

He nodded in silent understanding that although everything was ok for now, it wasn't totally ok in the long run when you looked at the big picture.

OoOoOoOoOo

We still had a long way to go before we got to the mouth of the river. So Zuko let me use one of the extra rooms that was onboard.

The knock on the metal door echoed slightly in my room.

"Come in," I said as I sat at the mirror and inspected my appearance.

Zuko opened the door. "I just wanted to check on you. To see how you were doing." He came inside and shut the door behind him.

I shrugged. "I guess I'm doing alright."

He was silent as he watched me check myself out in the mirror. I met his gaze.

"What?" I asked him.

"I think you're beautiful," he casually stated.

I gaped. "Did I just hear you right?" I turned around and looked at him.

He stood and walked over to me, grabbing my hands and pulling me to my feet. "Yes."

"But-"

He cut me off. "Salilah, I've never felt this way about any girl in my entire life." He cupped my face with one hand.

I jerked myself away from his grasp. "Don't do this to me Zuko. Don't make me feel special just so you can trick me and capture me so your stupid dad can _"restore"_ your honor."

Though his eyes said otherwise, his voice said: "I can't get anything passed you and your wise little brain in that pretty little head of yours, can I?" His voice was slightly snippy as he said this.

"No," I said. "No you can't. I think you should go Zuko. Before you hurt me and I kick your ass because of it."

He solemnly nodded and left the room, closing the metal door behind him.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

We finally made it to the edge by the river. The sun was already setting. I was extremely late for dinner, and I knew my friends were worried about me.

The ship's crew unloaded the river boat that had once been concealed in the stern of the ship's hull. One by one, Iroh, Zuko, I, and a handful of Zuko's soldiers loaded the river boat.

The pirate captain joined us.

Nightfall was fast approaching.

"Shouldn't we stop to search in the woods?" the pirate asked.

I rolled my eyes. "We stole a _waterbending scroll_. They'll be near water. Especially since waterbending gets stronger at night."

"I otta tear you to smithereens you smart mouth." He gave me a dirty look and looked like he would advance on me, but Zuko stepped in his way.

"Don't you dare touch her."

I widened my eyes in fear at his sudden ferocity.

The pirate stepped away from us.

I could hear Katara talking to herself as the boat stopped.

The pirates quickly progressed on her and took her. I tried to save her, but Zuko's soldiers held me back, covering my mouth with their hands.

Katara turned instantly into Zuko's awaiting arms. "I'll save you from the pirates…" he sneered to her.

I ripped my face from the soldiers' grasps. "You double-crossed me! Just like I knew you would!"

"I never told you that I wouldn't Salilah," he said coolly as he tied Katara and me to a tree. "Tell me where he is and I won't hurt the two of you. Or that other Water Tribe scum."

"He isn't scum," I glared at Zuko in defense for my best friend.

"Go jump in the river!" Katara furiously told him.

"Try to understand. I need to capture him and your little friend here to restore something I've lost, my honor," Zuko said, face-to-face with Katara. She jerked her head away as he continued. "Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost." He held Katara's necklace up to her neck.

"My mother's necklace!" Katara said breathlessly. It quickly turned into anger. "How did you get that?"

"I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering."

"How else would you have gotten it?" I asked sarcastically. "It's not like she gave it to you on purpose or anything Zuko."

"_Tell me_ where he is!" he jabbed his finger into my chest.

"I'm not one to betray…" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I never betrayed you. I did nothing to make you safe or comfortable around me."

"You did everything you said you didn't do Zuko. You and your uncle showed me hospitality."

"I think you're the single most naïve person I've ever met in my entire life," he said gently, taking hold of my chin gingerly. "And I pity you for that."

I jerked my face away. "Don't touch me…"

"Enough of this garbage! You promised me a scroll!" the pirate captain yelled.

Zuko took the scroll he had stolen from Katara and held it over his palm as his hand contained a single flame. "I wonder how much this is worth…"

All of the pirates as well as Katara and I gasped.

"A lot apparently. Salilah!" he snapped. "How much do these sell for in the Northern Water Tribe?" he tossed it gently in his hands.

"They aren't for sale… You earn them by becoming a master waterbender…" I replied quietly, still hurt from his sudden hostility.

"That's sweet," he sneered once more, then he turned back to the pirates, "Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods and meet me back here."

"Not everyone will go home…" Katara said as everyone but Zuko left.

"And not everyone will be happy either…" I added.

"You never know when to stop, do you?" Zuko gave me a fake look of pity.

"I don't want your mock sympathy." I glared at him.

"Salilah, Salilah, Salilah… I could have just left you there you know… Imagine it… You wouldn't be here right now. You would be-"

"Stop it!" I cut him off. My yell was filled more with horror than with anger, and tears filled my eyes. "You are exactly like Zhao. Heartless. And a monster…"

He turned sharply to me. "Don't you _ever_ compare me to that bastard ever again, do you understand Salilah?" **(I didn't exactly had anything else to call Zhao. Mostly because Zuko doesn't cuss like Salilah does.)**

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"Maybe not. But I _can_ burn you…" his tone was sinister.

"You wouldn't!"

"Leave her alone!" I heard Aang say as the pirates came back with him and Sokka.

"Sokka! Aang!" I said with relief. Tears of joy pricking my eyes.

"Aang, this is all _my_ fault," Katara told the airbender.

"No Katara, it isn't," Aang tried to make her feel better.

"Yeah, it kind of is," Iroh agreed with Katara.

Katara and I frowned at him.

"Give me the boy," Zuko snapped at the captain.

"Give _us_ the scroll," he retorted.

"You're really going to hand over _the Avatar_ for a stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka asked, rolling his eyes.

I knew exactly what he was doing, so I helped him out.

"Not to mention you gave up _the Humanbender_ as your slave," I chuckled at their idiocy.

"Don't listen to them," Zuko tried to distract them, "they're trying to turn us against each other!"

"Your friends are the Avatar and the Humanbender?" the pirate captain asked Sokka.

"Sure are. And I'll bet they'll fetch a lot more on the black market than that fancy scroll," he answered.

"Shut your mouth you Water Tribe peasant," Zuko snapped.

"Yeah Sokka. You really should shut your mouth…" Aang tried to get us to stop, but I knew this would work so I added on.

"We're just saying that it's bad business sense. Think how much the stupid Fire Lord would pay for us. You all would probably be set for life. Maybe up to even your children's children!"

The pirate captain turned to Zuko. "Keep the scroll. We can buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for them." He nodded his head in our direction.

"Actually Mr. Captain Sir, you can't buy those anywhere. It's _earned_. Remember?" I spoke up.

Both Zuko and the Captain rolled their eyes and ignored me.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me," he told the captain. He then blasted fire at the pirates; along with two of his crewmembers. The pirates all jump and one of them threw smoke bombs as the fight intensified. I couldn't see a thing that was going on.

Suddenly, Momo freed Katara and me.

"Thanks Momo," Katara told him great fully, rubbing her wrists, "I owe you a bushel of apples."

She ran off to join the boys in fighting.

I found Zuko within the smoke and punched him in his back. He furiously turned around.

"What are you doing?" he angrily asked me.

"What do you mean what am I doing? I'm fighting. Just like you are. I'm fighting against you." I hiked my leg up to kick his scar, but he grabbed my ankle before it made contact. I grunted in pain and twisted my body to the right, swinging my other leg with me. This one hit Zuko square in his unscathed eye.

"OW!" He screamed. His hold on my foot was released as he staggered backward, holding his eye.

"Maybe that will teach you to not play games with my heart!"

He gave me a dirty look as I blasted him with air, knocking him off of his feet. I ran to my friends. Katara was pushing the pirate's boat into the river again.

"Help me get this boat back in the water so we can get out of here," she told the boys and I. We all helped her push the boat into the water.

"We'll need a team of rhinos to get this ship back in the water," Sokka strained beside as he pushed the ship.

"A team of rhinos, or three waterbenders?" Aang questioned with a smirk and a raise of an eyebrow.

We all stepped back from the ship and the three of us benders pushed and pulled the water, trying hard to get the ship in the water. Sokka coached us from the sidelines on how hard or how fast to push or pull.

Once it was in the water Katara ordered us to get on the boat.

The sails were opened soon and then we were on our way downstream.

"Sokka, can't you make this thing go any faster?" Aang asked Sokka, who was at the wheel and steering the ship.

"I don't know how. This thing wasn't made by the Water Tribe!" Sokka replied in half-shock of not being able to work the operation.

Just then, a few pirates that had hijacked Zuko's boat jumped aboard our ship. Looking determined, Katara did a perfect water whip, knocking a pirate from the ship.

"Hey! You did the water whip!" Aang grinned broadly at the girl.

She returned the gesture. "I couldn't have done it without your help."

Just then, two pirates seized Sokka. "Would you two quit congratulating each other and help me out here?"

"Hang on to something Sokka!" I shouted to him as I bent a wave of water across the ship, wiping the pirates from the boat and to the waiting river water below.

"Aang look!" I snapped my head in Katara's direction to see what she was looking at. She pointed to an approaching waterfall.

"Oh no…" Aang trailed.

"_Shit!_" I muttered as Sokka pushed another pirate off the ship and Aang called Appa on his bison whistle.

"Have you lost your mind?" Sokka exasperated. "This is no time for flute practice!"

We all watched in horror as the waterfall came closer, and closer, and closer…

"We can stop the boat! Aang, Salilah, push and pull the water!" Katara told us.

We all bent the water in front of us, turning the ship so it was parallel with the falls and stopping it before it went over the edge.

"We did it!" I smiled, proud of myself.

"But we have another problem…" Sokka said, turning his head in the direction of Zuko's ship, as it hit into ours.

"Jump!" I said, grabbing Aang and Katara's hands. I closed my eyes as I did what I told everyone to do.

I opened my eyes as we landed on something hard and smelling strongly of leather. Appa!

"I knew a bison whistle would come in handy!" Aang held up the calling tool. "Thanks Appa!"

"Yeah, we owe you one," Sokka replied, putting him in a brotherly headlock and giving him a noogie.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Aang, I still owe you an apology," Katara said meaningfully. "You were just so good at waterbending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger. I'm sorry…"

"That's ok Katara," Aang smiled at her. His cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Besides," Katara scoffed, "who needs that stupid scroll anyway?"

Sokka pulled the scroll out and sarcastically asked her: "Is that how you really feel?"

"The scroll!" Katara and I exclaimed.

"How did you…?" I started to ask.

"I took it back," he replied.

Katara started to grab for it.

"Uh uh uh," Sokka blocked her. "First, what did you learn?"

Katara hung her head. "Stealing is wrong." She smirked and snatched the scroll. "Unless it's from pirates."

"Good one Katara." Aang laughed.

"So, Salilah." Sokka said.

Yeeeeeessssssssssssss…?" I raised an eyebrow, looking over at Aang and Katara, who were sitting on at the reigns.

"What happened to you after you let go?"

"The pirates got me."

"Tell me everything. Please Sal. I need to know." He grabbed my hand that was closest to him.

I looked over at him and told him everything that occurred.

"Wow… I can't believe him…" Sokka let go of my hand.

"I'm sorry Sokka…" I turned my face away from him.

"No…hey…Salilah… I didn't mean to…" he told both of my hands in his and made me look at him.

Tears welled in my eyes.

"I just don't want him to hurt you Salilah."

"He won't Sokka."

"But you can't promise me that Salilah. You can't promise me that he won't try. And you definitely can't promise me that he won't somehow fool you in any way. He can't be trusted."

"I know that Sokka."

"Good."


End file.
